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The 

Mating   and   Breeding 
of  Poultry 


BY 


HARRY  M.  LAMON,  Senior  Poultryman, 

Bureau  of  Animal  Industry 

U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 


ROB  R.  SLOCUM,  Poultryman, 

Bureau  of  Animal  Industry^ 

U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture 


ILLUSTRATED 


New  York 
Orange  Judd  Publishing  Company,  Inc. 

London 

Kegan  Paul,  Trench,  Trubner  &  Company,  Ltd. 

1923 


>- 


Copyright,  1920,  by 

Orange  Judd  Company 

All  Rights  Reserved 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall 
London,  England 


Printed  in  U.  S.  A. 


^» 


©ebicateb 

to 

fetanbarb  JBreb  ^oultrj> 

bii)itl)  i)ai  tjab  suclj  a  pvu* 
founb  beneficial  influence  c:i 
ti)t  great  poultrp  inbu^trp 
Of  ite  ?Hniteli  S>tates(. 


10459 


FOREWORD 


TO  the  man  or  woman  who  desires  some  occupation 
or  activity  for  a  few  spare  hours  as  a  relief  from 
the  fatigue,  the  strain  and  the  routine  of  the  regular 
day's  work,  poultry  breeding,  whether  for  the  production 
of  exhibition  stock  or  of  stock  with  heavy  egg  producing 
ability,  is  ideal.  An  intimate  understanding  of  the  laws 
or  principles  of  breeding  as  well  as  of  their  application  is 
necessary  for  success  and  poultry  breeding  is  therefore 
an  occupation  w^hich  demands  deep  and  discriminating 
thought  and  whose  complex  problems  are  at  once  a  chal- 
lenge and  a  stimulation  to  the  intelligence  of  the  breeder 
as  well  as  being  of  absorbing  interest. 

Moreover,  the  poultry  breeder  finds  opportunity  for 
the  expression  of  his  artistic  instincts  in  molding  the 
form  or  shape  of  the  birds  and  the  color  or  combination 
of  colors  to  meet  his  ideal.  In  addition,  there  is  the 
gratification  of  the  sporting  instinct,  the  pleasurable  ex- 
citement of  competition-  in  exhibiting  the  choicest 
specimens  at  the  shows  and  the  satisfaction  which  comes 
from  a  win  in  the  realization  that  the  breeder  has  sur- 
passed the  efforts  of  his  competitors  and  produced  birds 
superior  to  theirs. 

Let  no  one  to  whom  poultry  breeding  appeals  hesitate 
to  engage  in  it  on  the  ground  that  he  has  not  the  room 
or  facilities  to  enable  him  to  compete  with  others  more 
favorably  situated.  With  only  a  back  yard  or  village 
lot,  and  with  the  crudest  equipment,  it  is  possible  to 
produce  fowls  of  the  highest  excellence.  Many  winning 
birds  in  the  leading  exhibitions  are  produced  by  men  and 
women  who  breed  on  a  very  limited  scale  without  farms 
available  for  their  poultry  operations. 

vii 


Vlll  FOREWORD 

Poultry  shows  or  exhibitions  play  a  most  important 
part  in  improving  the  different  breeds  and  varieties.  Not 
only  do  they  serve  to  foster  competition  and  create 
rivalry,  thereby  increasing  interest  in  breeding,  but  they 
also  make  it  possible  to  compare  results.  In  this  way 
the  different  breeders  have  an  opportunity  to  see  what 
other  breeders  have  accomplished  and  to  observe  where 
their  birds  are  strong  or  weak  in  comparison.  Thus, 
they  learn  where  they  must  seek  to  improve  if  they 
expect  to  work  their  way  to  the  top  or  if  they  expect  to 
stay  there  once  they  have  arrived. 


INTRODUCTION 


THE  publication  here  presented  represents  in  its 
preparation  the  work  of  the  authors  extending  over 
a  period  of  about  four  years.  It  was  inspired  by  the  ap- 
parent need  of  some  such  guide  for  those  who  are  be- 
ginners in  breeding  standard  bred  poultry  or  those  whose 
experience  is  not  as  wide  as  is  that  of  the  breeders  whose 
methods  of  mating  are  herein  set  forth. 

It  must  not  be  misconceived  that  this  publication  is 
designed  to  or  can  in  any  sense  replace  the  American 
vStandard  of  Perfection.  The  Standard  of  Perfection  de- 
scribes in  detail  the  ideal  birds  of  the  different  breeds 
and  varieties,  and  it  is  perfectly  apparent  that  in  order 
to  insure  success  in  attaining  these  ideals,  the  first  thing 
to  do  is  to  purchase  a  copy  of  the  Standard  and  to  thor- 
oughly familiarize  oneself  with  the  requirements  of  the 
ideal  birds  so  as  to  have  a  clear-cut  conception  in  mind 
of  the  goal  which  the  breeder  desires  to  reach  as  nearly 
as  possible.  This  book  is  designed  to  supplement  the 
Standard  and  to  indicate  the  methods  of  breeding  and 
mating  which  will  be  most  likely  to  produce  the  results 
described  in  the  Standard.  In  doing  this,  matings  as 
used  by  many  of  the  foremost  and  most  successful 
breeders  are  given,  and  in  addition,  the  tendencies  or 
defects  w^hich  are  most  likely  to  or  which  may  prove 
troublesome  are  indicated  and  emphasized.  In  using 
this  book,  therefore,  it  is  also  necessary  to  make  constant 
use  of  and  reference  to  the  American  Standard  of  Per- 
fection. 

The  matings  described  are  those  which  breeders  desire 
to  use  if  the  proper  birds  are  available.  It  must  be  kept 
in  mind,  however,  that  it  is  never  possible  to  secure 

ix 


X  INTRODUCTION 

perfect  birds  which  possess  exactly  the  characteristics 
desired  and  the  problem  often  resolves  itself  into  making 
the  best  use  possible  of  the  birds  which  the  breeder  has 
on  hand.  In  doing  this  the  aim  should  be  to  approach 
the  matings  as  given  as  closely  as  possible  and  to  bear 
in  mind  the  necessity  of  offsetting  any  defects  in  birds 
which  it  may  be  necessary  to  use  by  strength  in  these 
particulars  in  the  birds  of  the  opposite  sex  in  the  mating. 

The  material  contained  in  this  book  has  been  obtained 
from  a  wide  number  of  sources.  In  the  main  it  rep- 
resents the  practice  of  many  of  the  foremost  breeders  of 
the  country,  together  with  the  information  which  the 
authors  possess  on  the  subject.  It  will  be  noted  that  in 
some  varieties  separate  and  distinct  methods  of  mating 
are  described  which  in  some  cases  may  seem  to  be  con- 
tradictory. These  reflect  the  different  opinions  and 
methods  of  the  breeders  consulted  who  may  be  dealing 
with  different  blood  lines  having  distinctly  different 
breeding  tendencies  or  who  may  be  able  to  secure  the 
results  desired  by  dift'erent  methods. 

The  authors  wish  to  take  advantage  of  this  oppor- 
tunity to  acknowledge  the  splendid  spirit  of  co-operation 
and  cordiality  of  the  following  breeders  in  furnishing  in- 
formation and  the  inestimable  aid  which  this  information 
has  been  in  preparing  the  book : 
Newton  Adams  W.  H.  Card 

Adolph  E.  Anderson  A.  O.  Carter 

Wm.  Anderson  Carl  J.  Carter 

W.  B.  Atherton  Walter  J.  Coates 

Balch  &  Brown  F.  G.  Cook 

M.  S.  Barker  Xewton  Cosh 

Frank  G.  Bean  Frank  Davey 

J.  Y.  Bicknell  ^laurice  F.  Delano 

L.  H.  Brown  L.  J.  Demberger 

C.  H.  Brundage  Robert  H.  Essex 

C.  S.  Byers  U.  R.  Fishel 


INTRODUCTION 


XI 


James  Glasgow 

D.  M.  Green 

W.  J.  Greenman 

George  W.  Hackett 

H.  B.  Hark 

A.  L.  Hathaway 

A.  C.  Hawkins 

Wm.  A.  Hendrickson 

S.  G.  Hoke  &  Sons 

H.  I.  Hope 

J.  R.  Hucldleston 

A.  P.  Ingraham 

Paul  Ives 

M.  R.  Jacobus 

John  D.  Jaquins 

John  C.  Kriner 

D.  G.  K}  ler 

C.  H.  Latham 
Alfred  Holmes  Lewis 
Thos.  Lockwood 

J.  F.  McKay 
Cecil  Manors 
John  S.  Martin 
Stanley  Mason 
George  C.  Meier 
Richard  Oke 
Allen  G.  Oliver 

D.  L.  Orr 
Charles  Pape 
Frank  L.  Piatt 


J.  M.  Priske 
Clyde  H.  Proper 
Archie  Rawnsley 
Harold  Rawnsley 
Len  Rawnsley 
F.  W.  Rogers 
R.  A.  Rowan 
A.  O.  Schilling 
Charles  H.  Shaylor 
J.  W.  Shaw 
H.  C.  Sheppard 
Eugene  Sites 
Arthur  C.  Smith 
Charles  M.  Smith 
Courtland  H.  Smith 
Edward  F.  Smith 
W.  A.  Smith 
A.  &  E.  Tarbox 
Lewis  C.  Taylor 
E.  B.  Thompson 
Lester  Tompkins 
H.  V.  Tormahlen 
Arthur  Trcthaway 
George  W.  \\>ed 
Watson  Westfall 
R.  J.  Williams 
Ralph  Woodward 
D.  W.  Young 
Walter  Young 


The  authors  further  wish  to  acknowledge  their  deep 
indebtedness  to  the  following  men  of  the  Animal  Hus- 
bandry Division,  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  L^.  S.  De- 
partment of  Agriculture,  for  their  critical  review  of  the 
work  and  for  their  many  helpful  suggestions : 


Xn  INTRODUCTION 

Alfred  R.  Lee,  Animal  Husbandman  in  Poultry  Inves- 
tigations. 

J.  W.  Kinghorne,  Junior  Animal  Husbandman  in 
Poultry  Investigations. 

D.  Lincoln  Orr,  Extension  Poultry  Husbandman. 

D.  M.  Green,  Extension  Poultry  Husbandman. 

J.  P.  Quinn,  Extension  Poultry  Husbandman. 

Dr.  Sevi^all  Wright,  Senior  Animal  Husbandman  in 
Animal  Genetics. 

Still  further  acknov^^ledgment  is  due  Mr.  J.  W.  King- 
horne, who  has  so  painstakingly  and  thoroughly  indexed 
the  contents  of  this  book  and  who  has  contributed  some 
illustrative  drawings. 

If  the  authors  have  in  even  a  slight  degree,  accom- 
plished the  purpose  which  they  had  in  mind  in  writing 
this  book,  namely,  to  assist  beginners  or  breeders  to 
secure  greater  success  in  breeding  high  class  exhibition 
stock  or  stock  of  high  egg  laying  ability,  or  if  they  have 
contributed  to  bring  about  these  results  in  a  shorter  time 
and  thereby  have  contributed  to  the  advancement  of 
standard  bred  poultry,  they  will  feel  amply  repaid  for  the 
great  amount  of  work  which  has  gone  into  its  preparation. 


PEFINITION  OF  COMMON 
BREEDING  TERMS 


Note — For  the  definition  of  terms  not  included  in  this  list,  see  the 
American  Standard  of  Perfection. 

Angular  Appearaxce — The  lack  of  smoothness  in  the  appearance 
or  outline  of  fowls  caused  by  the  abrupt  junction  of  certain 
sections  so  as  to  form  an  angle  instead  of  a  curve. 

Beefy  Comb — A  comb  that  is  large,  thick  and  of  more  substance 
than  called  for  by  the  Standard. 

Beetle  Green — A  metallic  green  of  considerable  luster,  similar  to 
the  color  found  on  a  beetle's  back. 

Blood  Lines — Refers  to  the  breeding  or  admixture  of  blood  which 
a  fowl  possesses.  Definite  blood  lines  are  the  result  of  a  fixed 
plan  of  breeding  with  the  consequent  concentration  to  a  greater 
or  less  degree  of  the  blood  of  some  particular  individual,  family 
or  strain.  Well-established  blood  lines  are  characterized  by  a 
greater  uniformity  of  the  fowls  belonging  to  these  lines  with 
respect  to  some  character  or  set  of  characters. 

Boots — Term  used  to  designate  the  shank  feathering  of  some  of 
the  varieties  of  Bantams. 

Breast,  Crooked — The  breast  or  keel  bone  deformed  by  being 
notched,  bent,  or  turned  to  one  side  usually  due  to  allowing  the 
birds  to  roost  when  too  young  or  to  an  injury. 

Buckled  Hock  Joints — A  term  applied  to  hock  joints  especially  in 

Games,  which  are  weak  and  do  not  enable  the  bird  to  stand  erect. 
Bull  Head — A  broad,  thick  head  which  when  found  in  exhibition 

Games  is  a  serious  defect. 
Coarse  Comb — One  that  is  large,  thick  and  rough  in  texture. 
Cockerel  Mating — A  mating  made  for  the  special  purpose  of  pro 

ducing  exhibition  males  when  double  mating  is  employed. 
Combination  Mating — A  mating  where  one  male  is  used  on  two 

different  types  of  females. 
Constitutional    Vigor — A    combination    of    those    qualities    which 

make  for  health,  strength  and  vitality  in  fowls. 
Cow  Hocked  Legs — Legs  which  curve  or  bend  back  at  the  hock  joint 

instead  of  being  straight  under  the  fowl. 

xiii 


XIV  DEFixiTiox  OF  co^f^ro^'  BREF.nixr,  terms 

Crooked  Toes — Referring  to  toes  which  are  other  than  straight. 
Crooked  Back — A   deformity   of   the   back   often  the  result  of  an 

injury    which    causes    it    to    be    turned    or    twisted    or   unevenly 

developed  on  one  side. 
Crossing — A  mating  of  fowls  of  two  separate  strains,  varieties  or 

breeds. 
Crow  Headed — A  long,  drawn-out  head  and  beak  resembling  that 

of  a  crow. 
Defect — An   imperfection   or  undesirable   quality    found   in   a  bird 

which    should    be   guarded    against    in    selecting    exhibition    and 

breeding  birds. 

Double  Mating — The  use  of  two  separate  and  distinct  matings 
within  a  single  variety,  one  of  which  is  especially  designed  to 
produce  exhibition  males  and  the  other  exhibition  females. 

Duck  Shaped  Tail — A  broad  tail  somewhat  horizontally  spread  like 
a  duck's  tail. 

Flat  Shanks — A  defect  found  in  some  breeds  that  should  have 
round  shanks.  The  flat  portion  usually  extends  up  the  front  of 
the  shank. 

Flat  Wings — Wings  which  when  folded  present  a  broad,  flat  sur- 
face instead  of  being  curved  or  bowed  to  conform  to  the  shape 
of  the  body. 

Gamy  Tail — See  Whip  tail. 

Goose  Neck — A  defective  neck  formation  resembling  that  of  a 
goose. 

Gypsy  Faced — Dark  purple  color  of  face  as  found  in  the  Brown 
Red  Game,  Black  Sumatra  and  Silkies. 

Patchiness — The  presence  of  Irregular  spots  or  patches  due  to 
dififerent  shades  of  color  or  to  the  uneven  distribution  or  varia- 
tion in  the  size  of  the  markings  in  the  feathers  of  an  individual. 

Pinched  Head — Elongated  narrow  head. 

Pinched  Tail — A  narrow  tail  due  to  the  main  tail  feathers  being 
closely  folded  instead  of  well  spread. 

Pullet  Mating — A  mating  made  for  the  special  purpose  of  pro- 
ducing exhibition  females  when  double  mating  is  employed. 

Purple  Barring — A  barring  of  iridescent  purple  extending  across 
the  feathers  and  more  or  less  commonly  found  in  the  plumage  of 
black  varieties  or  of  the  black  sections  of  other  varieties. 

Roach  Back — A  term  usually  used  as  synonymous  with  crooked 
back.    Also  used  occasionally  to  denote  a  curved  or  arched  back. 

RusTiNEss — A  reddish  tinge  appearing  on  the  surface  feathers. 


DEFINITION  OF  COMMON  BREEDING  TERMS  XV 

Sheen — As  commonly  used  indicates  the  lustrous  greenish  or  purple 
color  occurring  on  black  feathers. 

Single  Mating — A  mating  made  for  the  purpose  of  producing  ex- 
hibition birds  of  both  sexes. 

Smoky — An  admixture  of  dark  or  black  in  the  ground  color  of 
feathers,  causing  a  general  smudgy  or  dirty  effect  as  though  the 
feathers  had  been  exposed  to  smoke.  Smokiness  usually  appears 
in  the  main  wing  and  tail  feathers. 

Smutty — When  black,  dark  or  slate  of  varying  intensity  occurs  in 
the  under  color  of  breeds  which  should  be  free  from  it,  the  under 
color  is  said  to  be  smutty  as  in  the  Rhode  Island  Red.  In  breeds 
having  plumage  which  is  particolored  and  one  of  the  colors  is 
black  or  dark,  some  of  the  dark  color  often  extends  over  into 
the  lighter  colored  portion  of  the  feathers,  destroying  its  clear- 
ness and  causing  it  to  appear  dirty  or  dingy.  It  is  then  said  to 
be  smutty  as  in  the  Barred  Rock. 

Split  Crest — One  that  is  parted  or  divided.  A  defect  in  crested 
breeds. 

Split  Tail — One  in  which  the  main  tail  feathers  are  divided,  leav- 
ing an  open  space  in  the  center,  through  which  the  sickle  feath- 
ers may  and  often   do   fall. 

Split  Wing — Also  known  as  slipped  wing,  referring  to  one  that  is 
not  properly  held  in  place,  but  which  hangs  down  partly  unfolded. 

Stamina — A  term  used  in  connection  with  games  indicating  health, 
vigor  and  endurance. 

Standard  Mating— See  Single  Mating. 

Stiltiness — The  appearance  of  a  bird  being  out  of  proportion  due 
to  too  great  a  length  of  leg. 

Stud  Mating — Referring  to  the  practice  of  keeping  the  male  birds 
used  in  separate  quarters  or  coops  and  bringing  to  them  as  they 
lay,  the  females  with  which  they  are  to  be  bred. 

Tuft — A  group  of  feathers  or  a  tendency  toward  a  small  crest  ap- 
pearing on  the  heads  in  some  breeds. 

"U"  Shaped  Back — A  back  which  owing  to  the  upright  position  of 
the  tail  gi\es  the  appearance  of  the  letter  "U"  as  in  the  Langshan 
or   Seabrlght   Bantam. 

Whip  Tail — A  very  narrow  pinched  tail  ending  in  a  point  commonly 
used  in  referring  to  the  tail  of  exhibition  Games. 


CONTENTS 


Foreword 

Introductiox  

Definition  of  Common  Breeding  Terms 


CHAPTER  I 

Principles  of  Breeding 1 

Like  produces  like — Variation — Sports  or  mutations — 
Reversion  or  Atavism — Environment — Inheritance  of 
acquired  characteristics — Regression — Correlation  —  In- 
fluence of  sire  or  dam  on  'type  or  color — Contro^  of 
sex — Prepotenc}^ — Contamination  —  Mendelism  —  Sex- 
linked  inheritance. 

CHAPTER  II 
Practices  of  Breeding 19 

Breeding  tendencies — Selection  for  vigor — Inbreeding — 
Line  breeding — Outbreeding — Crossing — Grading  up — 
Introducing  new  blood — Purchasing  breeders — Standard 
•  or  single  mating — Combination  mating — Double  mating 
— Fixed  plan  of  breeding — Foreseeing  bad  tendencies — 
*  Establishment  of  blood  lines — Offsetting  the  weak  points 
— Grouping  of  birds  for  selection  of  matings — Breeding 
birds  with  defects — Breeding  birds  with  disqualifications 
— Use  of  tested  breeders — Pedigreeing — Record  of 
matings — Description  of  matings — Stud  mating — Alter- 
nating males — Age  of  breeders — Size  of  mating — Breed- 
ing conditions — Early  hatching — Free  range  versus  con- 
finement —  Good  management  —  Culling  —  Trimming 
heavy  feathered  fowls — Combination  of  utility  and 
quality. 

CHAPTER  HI 
P>reeding  for  Increased  Production 54 

Importance  of  vigor  and  health — How  high  egg  pro- 
ducing ability  is  inherited — Breeding  from  an  untrapped 
flock — Selecting  good  layers  from  the  untrapped  flock — 
Testing  the  offspring — Breeding  from  pen  pedigreed 
flocks — Breeding  from  trapnested  stock — Period  of 
trapping. 

xvii 


XVlll  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  IV 
The  American  Class 69 

The  Plymouth  Rock— Barred  Plymouth  Rock— White 
Plymouth  Rock— Buff  Plymouth  Rock— Silver  Penciled 
Plymouth  Rock— Partridge  Plymouth  Rock — Columbian 
Plymouth  Rock— The  Wyandotte— Silver  Wyandotte— 
Golden  Wyandotte— White  Wyandotte— Buff  Wyan- 
dotte—Black  Wyandotte— Partridge  Wyandotte— Silver 
Penciled  Wyandotte — Columbian  Wyandotte — The  Java 
Black  Java— Mottled  Java— The  Dominique— Single 
Comb  Rhode  Island  Red — Rose  Comb  Rhode  Island 
Red — Buckeye. 

CHAPTER  V 
The  Asiatic  Class 131 

The  Brahma— Light  Brahma— Dark  Brahma— The 
Cochin — Partridge  Cochin — Buff  Cochin — White  Cochin 
— ^^Black  Cochin — The  Langshan — Black  Langshan — 
White  Langshan. 

CHAPTER  VI 
The  Mediterranean  Class 156 

The  Leghorn — Single  Comb  Brown  Leghorn — Rose 
Comb  Brown  Leghorn — Single  Comb  White  Leghorn — 
Rose  Comb  White  Leghorn — Single  Comb  Buff  Leghorn 
— Rose  Comb  Buff  Leghorn — Black  Leghorn — Silver 
Leghorn — Red  Pyle  Leghorn— The  Minorca— Single 
Comb  Black  Minorca— Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca- 
Single  Comb  White  Minorca — Rose  Comb  White 
Minorca— Single  Comb  Buff  Minorca— The  White 
Faced  Black  Spanish— The  Blue  Andalusian— The 
Ancona — Single  Comb  Ancona — Rose  Comb  Ancona. 

CHAPTER  VII 
The  English  Class 192 

The  Dorking — White  Dorking — Silver-Gray  Dorking — 
Colored  Dorking — The  Redcap — The  Orpington — Buff 
Orpington— Black  Orpington — White  Orpington— Blue 
Orpington — The  Cornish — Dark  Cornish — White  Cor- 
nish—White-Laced Red  Cornish— The  Sussex — Speckled 
Sussex — Red   Sussex. 

CHAPTER  VIII 
The  Polish  Class 229 

The  Polish— White-Crested  Black  Polish— Bearded 
Golden  Polish— Bearded  Silver  Polish— Bearded  White 
Polish— Buff-Laced  Polish— Non-Bearded  Golden,  Sil- 
ver and  White  Polish. 


CONTENTS  XIX 

CHAPTER  IX 
The  Hamburg  Class 239 

The  Hamburg — Golden-Spangled  Hamburg — Silver- 
Spangled  Hamburg — Golden-Penciled  Hamburg — Silver 
Penciled  Hamburg— White  Hamburg— Black  Hamburg. 

CHAPTER  X 
The  Frexch  Class 253 

The  Houdan— White  Houdan— Mottled  Houdan— 
Crevecoeur — La  Fleche — The  Salmon  Faverolles. 

CHAPTER  XI 
The  Coxtixental  Class  259 

The  Campine — Silver  Campine — Golden  Campine. 

CHAPTER  XII 
The  Game  axd  Game  Baxtam  Class 263 

The  Exhibition  Game — The  Black-Breasted  Red  Game 
— The  Brown  Red  Game — The  Golden  Duckwing  Game 
— The  Silver  Duckwing  Game — The  Birchen  Game — 
The  Red  Pyle  Game— The  White  Game— The  Black 
Game — The  Game  Bantam — The  Black-Breasted  Red 
Game  Bantam — The  Brown  Red  Game  Bantam — The 
Golden  Duckwing  Game  Bantam — The  Silver  Duckwing 
Game  Bantam — The  Birchen  Game  Bantam — The  Red 
Pyle  Game  Bantam — The  White  Game  Bantam — The 
Black  Game  Bantam. 

CHAPTER  XIII 
The  Oriextal  Class 280 

The  Black  Sumatra — The  Black  Breasted  Red  Malay — 
The  Black  Breasted  Red  Malay  Bantam. 

CHAPTER  XIV 
The  Orxamextal  Baxtam  Class 285 

The  Sebright  Bantam — Golden  Sebright  Bantam — Silver 
Sebright  Bantam — The  Rose  Comb  Bantam — Rose 
Comb  White  Bantam — Rose  Comb  Black  Bantam — The 
Booted  White  Bantam — The  Brahma  Bantam — Light 
Brahma  Bantam — Dark  Brahma  Bantam — The  Cochin 
Bantam — Buff  Cochin  Bantam — Partridge  Cochin  Ban- 
tam— White  Cochin  Bantam — Black  Cochin  Bantam^ 
The  Japanese  Bantam — Black  Tailed  Japanese  Bantam 
— White  Japanese  Bantam — Black  Japanese  Bantam — 
Gray  Japanese  Bantam — The  Polish  Bantam — Bearded 
White  Polish  Bantam — Buff  Laced  Polish  Bantam — 
Non-Bearded  Polish  Bantam — The  Mille  Fleur  Booted 
Bantam. 


XX  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  XV 
The  Miscellaneous  Class  304 

The   Silkies — The  Sultans — The  Frizzles. 

CHAPTER  XVI 
Preparing  Fowl  for  the  Show 307 

Time  of  Hatching — Feeding  and  Management  of  Grow- 
ing Stock — Feeding  White  Fowls — Value  of  Shade- 
Selecting  the  Birds  to  be  Prepared  for  the  Show — 
Cooping  Birds  for  Training — Training — Danger  of 
Over-Cooping — Feeding  Birds  Which  Are  Being  Condi- 
tioned— Cleaning  Shanks  and  Toes — Washing — Bluing 
White  Birds — Bleaching  and  Cleaning — Other  Care  of 
Plumage — Shipping  Birds  to  the  Show — Care  of  Fowls 
in  the  Show — Treatment  of  Birds  After  the  Show — 
Making  Entries. 
Index    


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Fig.  Page 
Frontispiece 

1.  Nomenclature  Chart  of  a  Male  Fowl Opposite  1 

2.  Male  Heads  Showing  Different  Types  of  Combs 3 

3.  Female  Heads  Showing  Different  Types  of  Combs 5 

4.  Male  Heads   Showing  Defective   Combs 7 

5.  Males  with  Defective  Tail  Carriage 9 

6.  Standardbred  Flock 13 

7.  Mongrel    Flock    15 

8.  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  P>male  of  Low  \'igor 20 

9.  Line  Breeding  Chart 23 

10.  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  Female  with  Black  Feathers 30 

11.  Barred    Plymouth    Rock    Female    with    Black    Feathers 

Removed 31 

12.  Single  Comb  Showing  a  Side  Sprig 36 

13.  Marks  Possible  to  Use  in  Toe  Punching  Chicks 40 

14.  Basket  and  Bag  for  Pedigree  Hatching 41 

15.  Chick  with  Pedigree  Leg  Bands 42 

16.  Pedigree  Band  Transferred  to  the  Wing 43 

17.  Place  Where  Pedigree  Band  Is  Inserted  Through  Wing  44 

18.  Monthly  Trap  Nest  Record 45 

19.  Good  Range  for  Young  Stock 48 

20.  Wire    Covered    Feeding  Frame   to    Protect    the    Smaller 

Chicks    50 

21.  Dry  Mash  Hopper  for  Young  Stock 51 

22.  S.  C.  White  Leghorn  Cockerel  of  Fine  Quality  Out  of  a 


200  Egg  Hen 


23.  S.  C.  White  Leghorn  of  Fine  Quality  and  High  Egg  Pro- 

duction Blood  Lines 55 

24.  High    Producing    S.    C.    White    Leghorn    Hen    of    Fine 

Quality 58 

25.  Good    Producing    White    Plymouth    Rock    Hen    of    Fine 

QuaHty 63 

26.  Trap  Nest  in  Use 64 

27.  Trap  Nest  Record  for  an  Individual  Hen 67 

xxi 


XXU  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Fig.  Page 

28.  A  Knock-kneed  Male 69 

29.  Stilty  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  Male  with  Flat  Breast 70 

30.  White  Plymouth  Rock  Male  with  Split  Tail 72 

31.  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  Male  with  Twisted  Wing 73 

32.  Feathers  from  a  Cockerel  Bred  Barred  Plymouth  Rock 

Male 77 

33.  Feathers  from  a  Cockerel  Bred  Barred  Plymouth  Rock 

Female 79 

34.  Feathers  from  a  Pullet  Bred  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  Male  81 

35.  Feathers    from    a    Pullet    Bred    Barred    Plymouth    Rock 

Female 83 

36.  Comparison  of  Cockerel  and  Pullet  Bred  Barred  Plym- 

outh Rock  Cockerels 85 

37.  Comparison  of  Cockerel  and   Pullet  Bred  Barred  Plym- 

outh Rock  Pullets . 86 

38.  Well  Marked  Partridge  Plymouth  Rock  Feathers 93 

39.  Buff  Wyandotte  Male  Showing  Typical  Defects 98 

40.  White  Wyandotte  Male  with  Too  Long  Tail  Feathers 101 

41.  Well  Marked  Silver  Wyandotte  Feathers 103 

42.  Standard  Colored  Silver  Wyandotte  Male 104 

43.  Hen  Feathered  Silver  Wyandotte  Male 105 

44.  Well  Marked  Mottled  Java  Feathers 120 

45.  Well  Marked  Dominique  Feathers 122 

46.  Split  Wing  Folded 12C 

47.  Split  Wing  Spread 127 

48.  Well  Spread  Tail  of  Light  Brahma  Male 133 

49.  Well  Marked  Light  Brahma  Feathers 135 

50.  Light  Brahma  Male  Showing  Good  Black  Markings 137 

51.  Bluish  Slate  Undercolor  of  Light  Brahma  Female 139 

52.  Cockerel  Bred  Dark  Brahma  Male 141 

53.  Pullet  Bred  Dark  Brahma  Male 143 

54.  Well  Marked  Dark  Brahma  Feathers 144 

55.  S.  C.  White  Leghorn  Cockerel  of  Excellent  Type 156 

56.  S.  C.  White  Leghorn  Cock  Settled  with  Age 157 

57.  S.  C.  White  Leghorn  Male  with  Too  Sloping  a  Body 158 

58.  S.  C.  White  Leghorn  Female  with  Too  High  Carried  Tail  159 

59.  S.  C.  White  Leghorn  Female  with  Pinched  Tail 160 

60.  Single  Comb  with  Notched  Blade. 161 

61.  W^ell  Marked  Brown  Leghorn  Feathers 164 

62.  White  in  Face  of  S.  C.  Black  Minorca  Cock 175 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS  XXlll 

Fig.  Page 

63.  Well  Marked  Blue  Andalusian  Feathers 182 

64.  Black  Andalusian  Male 183 

65.  Black  Andalusian  Female 184 

66.  Splashed  White  Andalusian  Male 185 

67.  Splashed  White  Andalusian  Female 186 

68.  Well  Marked  Ancona  Feathers 189 

69.  S.  C.  Ancona  Female  Too  Light  in  Color 190 

70.  Well  Marked  Silver  Gray  Dorking  Feathers 195 

71.  Well  Marked  Colored  Dorking  Feathers 198 

72.  Well  Marked  Red  Cap  Feathers 200 

73.  Dark  Cornish  Male  Showing  Compact  Low  Set  Body —  209 

74.  Well  Marked  Dark  Cornish  Feathers 213 

75.  Well  Marked  \\hite  Laced  Red  Cornish  Feathers 219 

76.  Well  Marked  Speckled  Sussex  Feathers 223 

77.  Bearded    Golden    Polish    Male    with    Lightly    Feathered 

Crest 230 

78.  Well  Marked  Silver  Polish  Feathers 236 

79.  Silver    Polish    Pullet   Showing  Reverse   in    Markings   of 

Crest  and  Body  Feathers 237 

80.  Well  Marked  Golden  Spangled  Hamburg  Feathers 241 

81.  AVell  Marked  Silver  Spangled  Hamburg  Feathers 243 

82.  Hen  Feathered  Silver  Spangled  Hamburg  Male 244 

83.  Cockerel  Bred  Golden  Penciled  Hamburg  Female 245 

84.  Feathers  from  a  Hen  Feathered  Golden  Penciled  Ham- 

burg Male 246 

85.  Pullet  Bred  Golden  Penciled  Hamburg  Female 247 

86.  Well  Marked  Silver  Penciled  Hamburg  Feathers 249 

87.  Feathers  from  a  Hen  Feathered  Silver  Penciled  Hamburg 

Male  250 

88.  Head  of  Houdan  Male 253 

89.  Well  Marked  Salmon  Faverolles  Feathers 257 

90.  Well  Marked  Silver  Campine  Feathers 260 

91.  Well  Marked  Red  Pyle  Game  Feathers 272 

92.  Well  Marked  Birchen  Game  Bantam  Feathers 278 

93.  Black  Sumatra  Male  Showing  Characteristic  Tail 280 

94.  Well  Marked  Black  Breasted  Red  Malay  Bantam  Feathers  283 

95.  Well  Marked  Silver  Sebright  Bantam  Feathers 288 

96.  Well   Marked  Mille  Fleur  Bantam  Feathers 302 


i:y£- 


T/ilL 

cov£Rt;s 


Fig    1— Nomenclature    Chart    of    a    Male    Fowl 


XXIV 


CHAPTER  I 
PRINCIPLES  OF  BREEDING 

This  book  deals  with  the  different  varieties  of  chickens 
described  in  the  American  Standard  of  Perfection  and  the 
principles  of  breeding  in  order  to  produce  specimens  of  a 
high  degree  of  excellence  and  obtain  as  great  a  proportion 
as  possible  of  good  quality.  Breeding  chickens  with  this 
object  in  view  is  a  very  old  pursuit  and  engages  the  attention 
and  interest  of  a  great  number  of  individuals.  Were  the 
problem  of  mating  simply  that  of  selecting  individuals 
possessing  the  desired  characteristics  with  the  certainty  that 
the  offspring  would  be  identical  in  character  with  the 
parents,  it  would  be  a  comparatively  simple  one.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  fact,  it  is  not  a  simple  question  of  like  producing  like, 
and  for  this  reason  the  successful  breeding  of  chickens  of 
high  quality  is  a  difficult  problem  requiring  the  most  pains- 
taking care  and  study,  and  good  results  are  obtained  with  a 
reasonable  degree  of  certainty  only  as  the  result  of  long 
experience. 

Before  describing  the  matlngs  which  the  experience  of 
breeders  has  shown  are  most  likely  to  give  good  results,  it  is 
desirable  to  consider  briefly  certain  laws  or  principles  of 
breeding  which  are  more  or  less  commonly  met  with  in 
breeding  and  with  the  results  of  which,  if  not  their  theory, 
experienced  breeders  are  familiar. 

Like  produces  like. — This  Is  a  common  expression  em- 
ployed by  breeders.  Within  certain  limits  it  is  true.  It 
means  simply  that  there  Is  usually  a  strong  resemblance  be- 
tween parents  and  offspring,  stronger  than  that  between  the 
offspring  and  unrelated  fowls.  Thus  when  two  fowls  of  the 
same  breed  or  variety,  which  are  from  stock  which  has  had 
no  foreign  blood  introduced  for  a  considerable  time,  are 


A  THE    MATING    AXD    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

mated  together,  the  offspring  will  all,  or  nearly  all,  resemble 
the  parents  quite  closely  in  so  far  as  the  breed  or  the  variety 
characteristics  are  concerned,  and  usually  also  with  respect  to 
some  of  the  individual  peculiarities  of  one  or  both  of  the 
parents.  Pure-bred  White  Leghorns  will  produce  offspring 
which  are  palpably  White  Leghorns  both  in  type  and  color ; 
Barred  Plymouth  Rocks  will  produce  Barred  Plymouth 
Rocks,  etc.  The  offspring  are  likely  also  to  inherit  in  some 
degree  the  shape  of  the  parents,  the  comb  peculiarities  or 
other  similar  traits.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind,  however, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  select  parents  which  are  identical  in 
their  characteristics,  and  as  each  parent  may  and  does  have 
an  influence  upon  the  offspring,  it  can  be  easily  understood 
why  the  offspring  may  not  be  identical  with  one  or  either  of 
the  parents.  It  must  also  be  remembered  that  the  grand- 
parents, and  in  turn  their  parents  and  the  ancestors  still 
further  back,  all  exert  some  influence  and  tend  to  bring  about 
variation. 

Variation. — The  differences  which  exist  between  the  off- 
spring and  their  parents,  or  between  offspring  from  the  same 
mating,  range  from  those  rather  slight  in  degree  to  those 
which  are  quite  marked.  P'or  example,  from  a  Rhode  Island 
Red  mating  in  which  both  parents  are  of  fairly  good  color 
and  free  from  smut  in  undercolor,  there  may  be  obtained 
offspring  ranging  from  very  light,  poorly  colored  birds  to 
dark,  good  colored  birds,  and  from  those  with  a  clear  red 
undercolor  to  those  showing  white  or  to  those  showing  smut 
in  undercolor.  The  offspring  may  therefore  not  only  differ 
markedly  from  one  another,  but  may  also  differ  greatly  from 
their  parents,  and  may  vary  from  those  much  poorer  than 
the  parent  stock  to  those  much  better  than  the  parent  stock. 
It  is  the  selection  of  those  individuals  showing  variation  in 
the  desired  direction  that  constitutes  most  of  the  endeavor 
in  breeding.  It  is  by  the  use  of  such  individuals  that  breed- 
ers expect  to  make  progress  in  their  breeding  operations.  In 
the  long  run,  this  is  usually  a  successful  means  of  obtaining 


PRINCIPLES    OF    BREEDING 


improvement,   as   the   success    of    countless    breeders    will 
testify. 

Sports  or  mutations. — Occasionally  there  occur  indi- 
viduals with  characteristics  which  differ  very  markedly 
either  in  kind  or  in  degree  from  those  possessed  by  any  of  the 


MALE  BEADS  SHOWING  DIFFERENT  TYPES  OF  COMBS 


I  SINGLE 

2  PEA 

3   PEA 

4  ROSE 

5  SINGLE 

6  SINGLE 

7  \/ SHAPED 

a   ROSE 

9  STPAWBERSr 

Fifir.    2.     (From  the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States    Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.) 


4  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

known  ancestors.  These  individuals  are  known  as  sports  or 
mutations.  Usually  there  is  a  marked  tendency  for  sports  to 
breed  true,  and  consequently  if  the  sport  happens  to  be  of  a 
desirable  kind,  it  may  result  in  much  more  rapid  or  much 
greater  improvement  than  could  have  been  obtained  by  the 
more  gradual  process  of  selecting  less  marked  variations. 
Tlie  White  Plymouth  Rock  is  said  to  have  arisen  from  white 
chicks  produced  from  a  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  mating,  and 
the  former  variety  is  commonly  considered  to  be  a  sport 
from  the  latter. 

Reversion  or  atavism. — By  reversion  or  atavism  is  meant 
the  appearance  in  the  offspring  of  characteristics  which  do 
not  exist  in  the  immediate  parents  or  ancestry,  but  which  did 
exist  in  some  of  the  ancestors  several  generations  back. 
This  is  a  common  occurrence  and  is  generally  recognized 
and  understood  by  breeders.  Sometimes  the  reversion  goes 
far  back  to  some  character  in  the  distant  ancestry,  and  this 
may  be  so  far  back  that  the  breeder  has  no  knowledge  that 
such  characters  existed,  with  the  result  that  the  reappear- 
ance of  the  character  puzzles  him.  An  example  of  a  common 
reversion  is  the  continued  reappearance  of  stubs  on  the 
shanks  of  Wyandottes  and  Plymouth  Rocks,  or  of  the  down 
which  occasionally  appears  between  the  toes  of  Leghorns, 
in  spite  of  the  use  for  generations  of  clean  legged  birds  as 
breeders.  The  appearance  of  these  rudimentary  feathers 
undoubtedly  is  a  reversion  back  to  birds  with  feathered 
shanks  which  have  been  used  at  some  distant  time  in  making 
the  breed.  The  more  recently  such  birds  have  been  used  in 
the  breeding,  the  more  frequent  and  the  more  troublesome 
are  such  reversions.  It  is  unwise  to  use  individuals  for 
breeding  which  show  such  a  tendency  toward  reversion, 
particularly  if  the  reversion  is  frequent  in  appearance. 

Environment. — The  conditions  under  which  poultry  grow 
and  live  may  afifect  their  development  and  may  thus  cause  a 
modification  in  the  size  or  type  of  the  fowls.  The  environ- 
mental conditions  which  most  commonly  afifect  poultry  are 


PRINCIPLES    OF    BREEDING  5 

climate,  feed  and  the  various  features  of  management,  in- 
cluding housing,  feeding  and  care  of  the  eggs  during  incuba- 
tion, and  of  the  chicks  during  the  growing  period.  Environ- 
mental conditions,  particularly  those  of  climate,  may  cause  a 
modification  of  size  or  type,  but  affect  the  fowls,  it  is  now 
believed,  only  in  the  way  of  preventing  them  from  develop- 
ing their  inherited  characteristics  to  the  fullest  extent,  and 
do  not  interfere  with  the  transmission  of  these.  The  effort 
should  be  made  to  control  or  modify  environment  in  so  far 


FEMALE  HEAD^  SHOWING  DIFFEmrr  TYPES  OFCOMB^. 

i  ^NCLE  2  PEA  3  ROSE 

4  ^INCLE  5  ^IHCLE  6  ROSE 


Fig.    3. 


(From    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States    Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.) 


as  possible,  so  that  it  will  be  favorable  for  the  full  develop- 
ment of  desired  characters,  such  as  high  ^gg  production, 
which  are  inherited  by  the  fowls. 


6  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

Inheritance  of  acquired  characters. — The  question  arises 
whether  or  not  characters  which  are  due  to  environment,  and 
which  are  commonly  called  acquired  characters,  are  inherit- 
able or  transmissible.  For  example,  is  the  greater  size  which 
a  certain  variety  of  chickens  may  reach,  and  which  is  due  to 
climatic  conditions,  passed  on  to  the  offspring?  It  must  be 
remembered,  in  considering  this  question  of  the  inheritance 
of  acquired  characters,  that  in  many  cases  the  modification 
which  may  be  observed  in  a  race,  while  apparently  due  to  the 
inheritance  of  characters  modified  by  environment,  is  proba- 
bly often  due  to  the  fact  that  individuals  which  do  not  show 
characters  varying  in  this  direction  are  unsuited  for  the 
particular  environment  under  which  they  are  living,  and  are 
therefore  gradually  eliminated  by  the  process  of  natural 
selection,  while  the  individuals  varying  in  the  direction  in 
which  the  modification  has  occurred  were  especially  well 
fitted  for  the  environment  under  which  they  live.  Under 
these  conditions  the  modification  which  occurs  will  be  largely 
if  not  entirely  due  to  the  process  of  natural  selection,  rather 
than  to  the  inheritance  of  acquired  characters. 

In  general,  it  may  be  said  that  unless  environment  has  a 
modifying  effect  upon  the  germinal  material  of  the  individual 
concerned,  the  acquired  character  cannot  be  inherited.  Ex- 
periments indicate  that  the  germinal  material  is  very  difficult 
to  affect  in  any  way.  It  may  be  said  that  the  weight  of  evi- 
dence is  at  present  against  the  view  that  acquired  characters 
are  inherited. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  well  to  call  attention  to  the 
matter  of  whether  or  not  mutilations  or  deformities  are  in- 
herited. Deformities  due  to  faulty  development,  either 
embryonic  or  in  the  later  life  of  the  chick,  or  mutilations 
which  may  occur  are  very  rarely  if  ever  inherited.  Thus  we 
find  that  a  fowl  which  has  lost  a  toe  is  no  more  likely  to  pro- 
duce offspring  minus  a  toe  than  are  those  with  all  their  toes 
intact.  The  long  continued  custom  of  game  breeders  in 
dubbing,  or  shearing  off  the  combs  of  the  males,  has  pro- 


PRINCIPLES    OF    BREEDING 


duced  no  appreciable  tendency  for  the  offspring  to  come 
without  combs.  It  may  be  safely  said,  therefore,  that 
poultry  breeders  need  feel  no  concern  over  the  possibility  of 
mutilations  and  but  little  over  deformities  being  inherited, 
except  such  as  seem  to  be  in  the  blood  of  the  fowls,  as 
evidenced  by  their  frequent  occurrence  in  the  various 
generations. 


MALE  HEAD^  ^OmHa  DEFECTIVE  CQMB^. 

1   THUMB  MARK.  Z  LOPPED  (^IN6LE)  3.  HOLLOW  CENTER 

4  ;5IDE  ^PRIG-  5  UNEVEN /SE2£Anorp.     d  TWISTED 


Fig.    4. 


(From   the    Bureau   of   Animal    Industry,    United    States    Department 
of  Agriculture.) 


Regression. — By  regression  is  meant  the  general  tendency 
for  the  offspring  of  a  mating  to  be,  on  the  average,  nearer 
the  mean,  or  average  for  the  race,  than  were  the  parents 
composing  the  mating.  If  the  parents  are  selected  indi- 
viduals, well  above  the  average  with  respect  to  any  character 


8  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    CE    POULTRY 

or  set  of  characters,  the  ofTspring  will  average  poorer  than 
the  parents  and  be  nearer  the  average  for  the  race.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  the  parents  are  below  the  average  for  the 
race,  the  offspring  still  tend  to  be  nearer  the  average  than 
their  parents,  and  therefore  to  be  better  than  their  parents. 
Since,  in  breeding  poultry,  the  effort  is  always  made  to  have 
the  individuals  composing  the  mating  well  above  the  average, 
it  is  the  tendency  toward  a  lower  average  in  the  offspring 
which  particularly  concerns  the  breeder.  He  must  continu- 
ously fight  this  tendency  to  go  back  toward  the  average,  and 
this  must  be  done  by  continued  selection. 

It  is  this  law  of  regresssion  which  makes  it  necessary  for  a 
breeder  to  continue  to  select  with  the  greatest  care,  even 
after  he  has  attained  to  a  high  degree  of  excellence  in  his 
flock,  for  just  the  minute  he  stops  with  the  idea  that  he  can 
rest  on  his  laurels  and  maintain  the  degree  of  quality  which 
he  has  secured,  he  will  find  that  he  is  losing  ground. 

Correlation. — When  it  is  observed  that  a  certain  char- 
acter is  likely  to  be  associated  with  a  certain  other  character, 
there  is  said  to  be  a  correlation  between  these  characters. 
There  is  undoubtedly  some  general  correlation  of  characters 
in  poultry.  Correlation  is  quite  subject  to  breeding  and 
selection,  but  when  one  desires  to  secure  certain  results  in 
breeding,  the  characters  which  usually  go  together  should  be 
considered  in  selecting  a  type  or  standard  for  an  ideal.  Cor- 
relation may  be  of  much  value  in  fixing  types,  or,  on  the 
other  hand,  it  may  prove  troublesome.  It  is  usually  true  that 
males  which  are  inclined  to  be  too  leggy  are  also  inclined  to 
be  flat  or  lacking  in  breast.  It  also  seems  to  be  general 
observation  that  high  egg  production  in  any  breed  or  variety 
is  more  likely  to  be  associated  with  females  which  are  not 
above  the  average  size  for  the  breed  than  with  females  which 
are  much  above  the  average  size  for  the  breed.  A  white 
shelled  egg  and  white  ear  lobes  are  usually  correlated,  and 
breeds  or  individuals  are  rare  which  show  good  red  ear 
lobes  and  which  produce  white  shelled  eggs. 


PRINCIPLES    OF    BREEDING  9 

Influence  of  the  sire  or  dam  on  type  and  color. — The 
opinion  is  frequently  held  by  breeders  that  the  parents  of  one 
sex  have  more  influence  on  type  or  shape,  and  those  of  the 
other  sex  upon  color. 

Unfortunately,  the  breeders  are  themselves  divided  as  to 
which  sex  exerts  the  influence  upon  color,  and  which  upon 
type.  The  fact  seems  to  be  that  in  general  there  is  equal 
inheritance  from  the  sexes  in  all  characteristics.  The  real 
exceptions  include  a  few  characteristics  of  various  kinds 
which  are  linked  with  sex  in  inheritance  in  such  a  way  that 
there  is  no  transmission  from  dam  to  daughters.  These  so- 
called  sex-linked  characters  are  discussed  in  a  later  section. 
Apparent  exceptions  may  arise  from  differences  in  the  pre- 
potency of  individuals.  It  may  happen  in  a  particular 
mating  that  the  male  is  prepotent  in  color  and  the  female  in 
type,  but  in  another  mating  the  situation  may  be  reversed,  or 
else  some  one  parent  may  be  prepotent  in  both  respects. 
There  is,  in  short,  no  general  law  connecting  prepotency 
and  sex. 


MALE^  YflTH  DEFECTIVE  TAL  CA2mCE 

1  ^qUI£2EL  E  yflTf 

Fig.    5.      (From    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States    Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.) 


Control  of  sex. — The  control  of  the  sex  of  offspring  in 
chickens,  as  well  as  other  domestic  animals,  is  a  question, 
the  solution  of  which  has  long  been  sought.    Many  theories 


10  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

have  been  advanced  and  some  breeders  believe  that  they  can 
control  to  some  extent  at  least  the  sex  of  the  offspring.  The 
most  commonly  advanced  theory  among  chicken  breeders  is 
the  claim  that  a  cockerel  mated  to  hens  will  give  a  greater 
proportion  of  females  than  males,  while  a  cock  mated  to 
pullets  will  give  a  greater  proportion  of  males.  This  theory 
is  doubtless  nearly  if  not  quite  identical  with  that  advanced 
by  some  breeders  of  other  domestic  animals,  and  seems  to 
depend  upon  the  idea  that  the  more  mature  parent  is  sexu- 
ally more  vigorous  than  the  less  mature  parent,  with  the 
result  that  more  of  the  oft'spring  will  be  of  that  sex.  No 
experimental  work  or  carefully  kept  records  have  as  yet 
given  good  support  to  this  idea  and  it  is  impossible  to  give  it 
much  credence.  Indeed,  at  the  present  time  it  may  be  said 
with  full  assurance  that  no  method  has  been  found  which 
will  control  at  will  the  sex  of  the  offspring  in  chickens. 

It  is,  moreover,  very  doubtful  whether  any  such  method  is 
possible.  The  mechanism  by  which  sex  is  normally  deter- 
mined is  now  well  understood,  but  unfortunately  Is  a 
mechanism  which  seems  to  be  beyond  human  control.  In 
poultry,  the  males  produce  only  one  kind  of  germ  cell,  but 
the  females  produce  two  kinds  In  approximately  equal 
numbers.  One  of  these  kinds  develops  into  males,  the  other 
into  females.  The  potentiality  of  an  egg  in  this  respect 
depends  on  the  presence  or  absence  of  a  small  body  (the  X 
chromosome),  which  goes  into  the  egg  at  a  very  early  stage, 
or  is  discarded,  wholly  by  chance. 

Prepotency. — Prepotency  is  the  word  used  to  describe  the 
ability  of  an  individual  to  impress  its  characters  or  qualities 
upon  its  offspring.  An  individual  may  be  termed  prepotent 
either  when  It  can  transmit  a  certain  character  or  set  of 
characters  to  a  considerable  proportion  of  its  offspring  to  an 
appreciable  degree,  or  when  it  can  transmit  some  character 
or  set  of  characters  to  one  or  a  few  offspring  to  a  very  high 
degree.  Thus  we  might  speak  of  a  W^hite  Wyandotte  male 
of  outstanding  excellence  of  type  as  prepotent  if  he  could 


PRINCIPLES    OF    BREEDING  11 

transmit  this  excellence  of  type  in  a  high  degree  to  only  one 
or  two  of  his  sons  or  daughters.  Or  we  might  speak  of  him 
as  prepotent  if  he  could  transmit  this  excellence  of  type  in  a 
high  degree,  or  even  in  a  less  high  degree,  to  50  or  60  per 
cent  of  his  offspring.  Again,  we  might  speak  of  a  Leghorn 
male  as  prepotent  with  respect  to  the  character  of  egg  pro- 
duction, if  he  were  able  to  transmit  to  only  one  or  two 
daughters  the  ability  to  lay  250  eggs,  even  though  the  rest  of 
his  daughters  were  below  the  average  in  that  respect ;  or  we 
might  call  him  prepotent  if  he  could  transmit  to  50  per  cent 
or  more  of  his  daughters  the  ability  to  lay  more  than  the 
average,  say  180  eggs.  The  first  of  these  instances  may  be 
said  to  represent  prepotency  in  degree,  and  the  second  pre- 
potency in  numbers.  Most  poultry  breeders  in  speaking  of 
prepotency  mean  prepotency  in  numbers  rather  than  pre- 
potency in  degree. 

As  can  readily  be  seen,  this  quality  of  prepotency,  when 
manifested  in  a  desirable  direction,  is  an  extremely  valuable 
one,  and  one  of  which  the  wise  breeder  takes  full  advantage. 
Once  a  bird,  either  male  or  female,  has  proven  its  pre- 
potency, it  should  be  used  as  a  breeder  just  so  long  as  it  is  in 
breeding  condition.  The  only  known  method  by  which  pre- 
potency can  be  developed  in  a  flock  is  through  close  breed- 
ing, a  system  which  is  discussed  later. 

Contamination. — The  theory  of  contamination  has  never 
been  so  strongly  or  so  widely  held  among  poultrymen  as 
among  breeders  of  other  animals,  particularly  dogs  and 
horses,  probably  largely  because  the  chick  does  not  develop 
to  an  appreciable  degree  within  the  body  of  the  mother.  By 
contamination  is  meant  that  the  service  of  a  male  upon  a 
female,  or  the  growth  of  an  embryo  within  the  female  as  the 
result  of  such  service,  has  a  lasting  effect  upon  the  female, 
so  that  succeeding  offspring,  although  by  different  males, 
will  bear  a  resemblance  to  the  first  or  previous  male  or 
males.  Such  an  influence  or  contamination,  even  if  it 
existed,  would  have  no  perceptible  or  at  least  no  important 


12  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

effect  as  long  as  the  female  and  the  different  males  were  of 
the  same  variety  in  chickens  or  breed  in  the  case  of  other 
animals.  But  if  one  of  the  males  were  of  a  different  variety 
or  breed,  such  contamination  would  immediately  have  an 
important  and  a  disastrous  effect.  For  were  there  such  con- 
tamination, a  \\'hite  Leghorn  hen,  for  example,  which  had 
been  bred  to  a  Silver  Spangled  Hamburg  male  would  no 
longer  have  any  value  as  a  breeder  of  White  Leghorn  chick- 
ens, even  when  mated  to  White  Leghorn  males,  since  the 
chickens  would  show  the  influence  of  contamination  due  to 
the  Hamburg  male.  The  theory  of  contamination  finds  little 
support  from  poultry  breeders,  as  there  are  no  reliable 
authentic  records  to  support  it,  while  it  is  common  practice 
to  allow  hens  to  run  with  males  of  a  variety  other  than  their 
own  and  to  breed  them  subsequently  to  males  of  their  own 
kind  without  the  slightest  bad  effect.  It  is  easy  to  account 
for  the  supposed  observed  cases  of  contamination  by  the 
accidental  mating,  without  the  breeders'  knowledge,  of  the 
hen  with  another  male  than  the  one  with  which  she  is 
supposed  to  be  mated. 

Mendelism. — In  the  preceding  sections,  we  have  at- 
tempted to  present  the  leading  principles  of  breeding  as  they 
have  been  brought  out  by  practical  experience.  It  should  be 
added  that  a  great  deal  has  been  discovered  in  recent  years 
about  the  laws  of  heredity,  which  underlie  these  practical 
principles.  It'^would,  however,  go  beyond  the  scope  of  this 
book  to  go  into  the  subject  in  detail.  There  are  a  number  of 
books  on  the  subject  which  may  be  recommended  to  those 
who  are  interested.  The  following  may  be  mentioned: 
''Genetics  in  Relation  to  Agriculture,"  by  E.  B. 

Babcock  and  R.  E.  Clausen,  1918. 
"Genetics   and   Eugenics,"  by   W.   E.    Castle, 

1916. 
''Mechanism     of     Mendelian     Heredity,"     by 

Morgan,    Sturtevant,    Muller   and    Bridges, 

1915. 


PRINCIPLES    OF    BREEDING 


13 


14  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

According  to  earlier  views,  heredity  was  looked  upon  as 
fluid  in  nature.  We  still  use  such  expressions  as  half  blood, 
quarter  blood,  etc.,  which  convey  this  idea.  It  now  appears, 
however,  that  the  hereditary  material  is  composed  of  units 
which  are  handed  on  almost  indefinitely  without  change. 
Their  behavior  may  be  compared  better  to  that  of  little  solids 
contained  in  the  germ  cell  than  to  fluids.  The  variations  in 
most  characteristics,  it  is  true,  depend  on  so  many  of  these 
units  that  the  mode  of  inheritance  after  crossing  may  still 
be  compared  roughly  to  the  blending  of  fluids.  A  compari- 
son of  the  hereditary  basis  of  a  characteristic  to  a  pile  of 
shot  is  better,  however,  when  it  comes  to  explaining  the 
effects  of  inbreeding,  the  nature  of  prepotency,  etc. 

A  few  characteristics  depend  on  such  a  small  number  of 
units  that  the  effects  of  the  different  ones  are  easily  followed 
in  crosses.  Mendel's  law  of  heredity  was  originally  dis- 
covered in  these  simple  cases.  It  is  now  considered  probable 
that  Mendel's  law  is  the  general  law  for  all  heredity,  but  it  is 
difficult  to  demonstrate  except  where  the  number  of  units  is 
small,  and  hence  is  in  most  cases  of  little  more  than  theoreti- 
cal importance. 

Certain  cases  of  simple  Mendelian  inheritance  frequently 
come  under  the  eye  of  the  poultryman  who  makes  crosses. 
A^n  illustration,  let  us  consider  what  happens  when  a  fowl 
from  a  strain  which  produces  rose  combs  only  is  mated  with 
a  single  comb,  which,  as  breeders  know,  breeds  true.  The 
offspring  all  have  rose  combs.  Rose  comb  is  said  to  be 
dominant  over  single  comb.  The  crossbreds  breed  very 
differently,  however,  from  their  rose  comb  parent.  They 
breed  as  if  half  of  their  germ  cells  (spermatozoa  in  the  male, 
eggs  in  the  females)  transmit  ros^^omb_only,  while  half 
transmit  single  comb  only.  This  is  easily  seen  on  crossing 
them  with  single  combs,  in  which  case  they  produce  50  per 
cent  rose  combs  and  50  per  cent  single  combs.  The  rose 
combs  of  this  generation,  when  crossed  with  single  combs 
again,  produce  50  per  cent  rose  combs  and  50  per  cent  single 


16  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 

combs,  although  the  chicks  are  seven-eighths  blood  single 
comb.  This  system  of  mating  can  be  carried  on  indefinitely, 
the  rose  comb  chicks  always  producing  50  per  cent  rose 
combs  and  50  per  cent  single  combs,  regardless  of  the 
amount  of  blood  from  single  comb  strains.  When  two  of 
these  crossbred  rose  combs  of  any  generation  are  mated  with 
each  other,  25  per  cent  of  the  chicks  will  have  single  combs. 
The  reason  is  easily  seen.  Half  of  the  eggs  transmit  single 
comb  and  half  of  these,  or  one-quarter  of  all  eggs,  will,  by 
chance,  be  fertilized  by  spermatozoa  which  transmit  single 
comb,  the  result  being  that  25  per  cent  of  the  chicks  fail  to 
get  rose  comb  from  either  parent  and  so  are  single  combs. 
Conversely,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  there  will  be  another  25 
per  cent  of  the  chicks  which  get  rose  comb  from  both  parents 
and  will  breed  like  pure  rose  combs,  although  in  blood  they 
may  be  almost  wholly  of  a  single  comb  strain.  The  remain- 
ing 50  per  cent  of  the  chicks  get  rose  comb  from  one  parent, 
single  comb  from  the  other,  and  breed  like  the  original  cross- 
breds,  that  is,  half  their  germ  cells  transmit  rose  comb  and 
half  single  comb. 

In  this  case,  one  of  the  opposed  characteristics  (rose 
comb)  was  dominant  over  the  other  (single  comb).  This  is 
very  often  the  case,  but  it  is  not  a  general  rule.  The  Blue 
Andalusian  fowl  resembles  the  crossbred  rose  combs  in  that 
it  produces  two  kinds  of  germ  cells  in  equal  numbers.  A 
chick  produced  by  the  union  of  like  germ  cells  from  a  pair 
of  Blue  Andalusians  is  either  a  splashed  white  or  a  black 
(which  may  be  mixed  with  red  or  other  colors,  dependent  on 
other  hereditary  units).  Blues  must  receive  the  factor  for 
black  from  one  parent  and  that  for  white  from  another. 
Thus  the  mating  of  blue  by  blue  produces  25  per  cent  black, 
50  per  cent  blue  and  25  per  cent  splashed  white,  no  matter 
how  much  blue  ancestry  there  is.  'The  only  Avay  to  obtain 
100  per  cent  blue  is  to  cross  with  edch  other  the  blacks  and 
whites  derived  from  Andalusian  stcvck.  It  may  be  well  to 
add  that  while  twice  as   many  blues'  are  obtained  by  this 


PRINCIPLES    OF    BREEDING  17 

method  as  by  crossing  blues  with  each  other,  the  quality  of 
blue  may  be  expected  to  be  poorer  because  of  working  in  the 
dark  in  selecting  the  parents. 

In  the  ordinary  breeding  operations  of  the  man  dealing 
with  a  pure  breed  or  variety,  Mendel's  law  will  have  little 
practical  application.  It  is  in  crossing  for  the  purpose  of 
securing  new  combinations  of  characters  that  it  may  have  a 
place.  The  fact  that  some  characters  may  be  crossed  with- 
out blending  and  can  be  extracted  again  in  a  pure  state  in  a 
short  time  is  of  value  in  securing  the  new  combination  of 
characters  desired.  Most  breeders,  however,  find  this  law 
difficult  to  understand  and  confusing,  and  make  little  con- 
scious use  of  it  in  their  breeding  operations.  IMoreover, 
relatively  few  characters  seem  to  behave  as  typically  unit 
characters,  and  if  their  behavior  is  Alendelian  it  is  probably 
obscured  by  the  fact  that  they  are  not  simple  unit  characters, 
but  are  complex  characters  in  themselves,  more  than  one 
factor  being  involved  in  their  make-up  and  reacting  possibly 
in  different  directions  with  results  which  are  not  ^lendelian 
in  a  sharp,  clear-cut  manner  in  so  far  as  their  interpretation 
is  concerned  by  the  average  individual. 

Sex-linked  inheritance. — It  has  already  been  noted  that 
in  poultry  the  females  produce  two  kinds  of  eggs,  those 
which  can  develop  into  males  and  those  which  can  develop 
into  females,  while  males  produce  only  one  kind  of  germ 
cell.  It  happens  that  certain  hereditary  factors  are  linked 
with  sex  in  such  a  way  that  females  cannot  transmit  them  in 
the  eggs  which  are  to  develop  into  females.  The  theory  is 
that  the  female-determining  eggs  are  such  because  they  lack 
a  certain  material  body  which  is  present  in  the  male-deter- 
mining eggs.  Hereditary  units  which  are  transmitted  in  this 
same  material  body  may  or  may  not  be  present  in  the  germ 
cells  of  males  or  in  the  male-determining  eggs  of  the  females, 
in  all  of  which  the  material  body  is  present,  but  they  can 
never  be  transmitted  in  the  female-determining  eggs,  in 
which  the  material  body  is  absent.    For  example,  the  Barred 


18  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

Plymouth  Rock  male  can  transmit  barring  both  to  his  male 
and  female  offspring,  while  the  Barred  Plymouth  Rock 
female  is  limited  in  transmitting  barring  to  her  male  off- 
spring only.  This  is,  of  course,  not  apparent  when  a  Barred 
Plymouth  Rock  male  and  female  are  mated  together,  for  the 
offspring  of  both  sexes  inherit  barring  from  the  male  parent. 
When,  however,  the  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  is  mated  with  a 
non-barred  variety,  it  immediately  becomes  apparent.  If  a 
Barred  Plymouth  Rock  male  is  mated  with  Dark  Cornish 
females,  all  the  resulting  oft'spring,  both  male  and  female, 
will  be  barred.  Since  this  barring  could  not  come  from  the 
females,  it  must  have  been  inherited  by  both  sexes  from  the 
male  parent.  If,  on  the  other  hand.  Barred  Plymouth  Rock 
females  are  mated  with  a  Dark  Cornish  male,  only  the  male 
offspring  will  be  barred.  It  is  apparent,  therefore,  that  the 
Barred  Plymouth  Rock  females  could  transmit  barring  to  the 
male  offspring  only  and  not  to  the  female  offspring. 


CHAPTER  II 
PRACTICES  OF  BREEDING 

Breeding  tendencies. — Different  strains  or  stocks  of  the 
same  variety  may  and  usually  do  have  different  breeding 
tendencies.  Just  what  these  tendencies  are  can  be  determined 
only  by  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  and  close  study  of  the 
stock  in  question,  as  the  result  of  breeding  for  some  time. 
Such  a  knowledge  is  most  essential  for  success,  and  the 
breeder  who  fails  to  study  his  stock  for  this  purpose  w^ill  not 
attain  the  highest  success.  Knowing  the  breeding  tenden- 
cies enables  the  breeder  to  count  upon  those  tendencies  which 
are  strong  in  the  right  direction  and  at  the  same  time  enables 
him  to  take  especial  pains  to  guard  against  undesirable 
tendencies  in  making  up  his  matings.  Knowledge  of  the 
breeding  tendencies  will  often  have  an  important  bearing  on 
the  selection  of  individual  birds  to  be  used  in  a  mating  and 
renders  the  selection  of  the  individuals  as  breeders  much  less 
of  a  matter  of  guesswork.  For  example,  if  a  flock  of  White 
Plymouth  Rocks  seldom  produces  individuals  showing 
slipped  wings,  it  might  be  desirable  and  wise  to  use  a  bird 
showing  this  defect  if  he  possessed  certain  other  qualifica- 
tions of  an  outstanding  character,  whereas  if  the  flock 
showed  a  tendency  toward  slipped  wings  it  would  be  unwise 
to  use  such  a  bird. 

It  is  pretty  generally  recognized  that  even  an  experienced 
breeder  may  purchase  the  best  stock  obtainable  of  any 
variety  and  still  be  unable  to  keep  the  quality  of  the  stock  up 
to  that  attained  by  its  former  owner,  at  least  for  some  years. 
This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  he  is  unfamiliar  with  its  breeding 
tendencies  and  must  breed  the  stock  for  several  years  before 
learning  just  what  its  breeding  tendencies  are, 

19 


20 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 


Selection  for  vigor. — The  vigor  of  the  stock  must  be  kept 
up.  If  this  is  not  done,  bad  resuks  will  be  obtained  in  fer- 
tility, hatchability  and  the  rearing  of  the  young  stock.  Suc- 
cess, whether  in  utility  or  exhibition  stock,  or  both,  depends 
upon  the  ability  to  keep  the  flock  healthy  and  upon  the  ability 
of  the  birds  to  breed,  of  the  eggs  to  hatch  and  of  the  chicks 
to  be  raised  and  to  make  good  growth.  Selection  for  vigor 
is,  therefore,  most  important;  it  is  fundamental.  The 
breeder  must  not  be  blinded  by  excellence  of  color  to  the 
necessity  for  vigor,  strength  and  constitution.  It  is  not  al- 
ways possible  to  select  the  most  vigorous  birds,  but  the 
appearance  of  the  fowls  and  their  actions  are  a  pretty  reli- 
able index  to  their  health,  vigor  and  condition.  Fowls  which 
show  good,  bright  color  of  eye  and  head  parts,  glossy,  clean 

plumage,  fairly 
good  substance 
of  bone,  and 
which  are  active 
and  sprightly  in 
carriage  and 
have  made  good, 
continuous 
growth  are  usu- 
ally strong,  vig- 
orous individu- 
als. Avoid  fowls 
which  show 
sunken  eyes, 
long,  narrow, 
snaky  heads, 
toes  long  for 
the  breed,  and 
which  are  list- 
less and  inactive,  and  whose  growth  has  been  slow,  uneven, 
or  unbalanced. 


Fig^.    8.     Barred   Plymouth   Rock   female  of   low   vigor 

showing    slipped    wing    and    crow    head.      (Photograph 

from  the   Bureau   of   Animal    Industry,    United    States 

Department  of   Agriculture.) 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDIXG  21 

Males,  especially  those  over  one  year  old,  sometimes  be- 
come weak  in  their  hock  joints.  They  show  this  by  standing 
unsteadily  on  their  legs  and  raise  their  feet  unusually  high 
in  stepping.  Males  which  are  too  long  in  leg  seem  to  be 
more  susceptible  to  this  condition.  Such  males  should  not  be 
used  as  breeders,  for  they  are  not  likely  to  fertilize  many 
eggs. 

Inbreeding. — Inbreeding  is  the  mating  of  related  Indi- 
viduals. It  is  a  practice  commonly  used  by  breeders  for  the 
purpose  of  concentrating  the  blood  of  individuals  or  families 
which  show  the  desired  characters  or  quality.  'It  may  be  said 
wijth_certainty  that  practically  no  outstanding  success  in 
breeding  has  been  made  without  a  considerable  amount  of 
inbreeding.  The  great  strides  which  have  been  made  in  the 
improvement  of  breeds  or  varieties  are  due  to  such  intensi- 
fication or  purification  of  the  blood  of  outstanding  or  espe- 
cially valuable  individuals  or  families  of  the  breed  or  variety. 
Such  intensification  of  blood  aims  at  and  results  in  making 
the  characteristics  of  the  individuals  or  families  so  used 
breed  more  true./ 

But  while  inbreeding  results  in  the  intensification  of 
the  good  qualities  of  the  individuals  used,  it  also  results 
in  the  intensification  of  all  the  characters  of  such  in- 
dividuals. It  is  here  that  the  danger  of  inbreeding  lies, 
for  if  there  happens  to  be,  as  there  usually  are,  bad  char- 
acters or  weaknesses  in  the  individuals,  these  are  in- 
tensified as  \vell.  For  this  reason  where  inbreeding  is 
practiced,  too  great  care  cannot  be  exercised  in  the  se- 
lection of  the  individuals  used,  to  see  that  they  have  no 
particularly  bad  traits,  and  to  make  sure  that  they  are 
vigorous  and  of  strong  constitution.  \Mthout  such  care 
in  the  selection  of  the  individuals  inbreeding  is.  in  the 
end  almost  sure  to  result  in  failure.  The  closest  forms 
of  inbreeding,  such  as  son  on  mother,  daughter  on  father 
or  full  brother  and  sister,  are  sometimes  called  in  and 
in  breeding. 


22  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING   OF   POULTRY 

Where  inbreeding  is  practiced  the  greatest  watch- 
fulness should  be  exercised  to  discover  the  first  signs  of 
any  weakness  or  bad  effects.  If  these  appear  it  is  then 
time  to  abandon,  in  some  of  the  matings  at  least,  such 
close  inbreeding  as  is  being  practiced  and  to  attempt  the 
cautious  introduction  of  new  blood. 

/  '  As  an  example  of  what  can  be  done  in  inbreeding 
without  detriment  to  the  stock,  may  be  cited  the  case  of 
a  breeder  who,  starting  with  a  trio  of  birds,  has  bred  for 
thirteen  years  without  the  introduction  of  a  drop  of  new 
blood.  During  this  period  he  has  improved  size,  egg 
production  and  color  and  has  seen  no  weaknesses  de- 
velop which  can  be  attributed  to  inbreeding. 

Line  breeding. — Line  breeding  is  a  form  of  systematic 
inbreeding  in  which  an  effort  is  made  to  keep  away  from 
too  close  inbreeding.  It  is  really  in  its  ordinary  use, 
breeding  confined  to  the  blood  lines  of  a  single  family. 
The  details  of  this  practice  vary  considerably  with  the 
different  breeders,  but  the  purpose  is  the  same  in  each 
case,  namely,  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  introducing  blood 
of  another  strain  or  family  with  the  disastrous  results  to 
the  uniformity  of  the  strain  which  often  accompanies 
such  an  introduction  of  blood.  Line  breeding,  whether 
known  by  this  name  or  not,  is  almost  universally  used  by 
successful  breeders,  but  is  often  accompanied  by  the 
occasional  and  judicious  introduction  of  outside  blood. 
The  chart  following,  Fig.  9,  shows  one  method  of 
line  breeding.  In  this  chart.  Circle  1  represents  a  male 
and  Circle  2  a  female,  whose  blood  it  is  desired  to  use  in 
the  line  breeding  without  the  introduction  or  at  any  rate 
without  the  frequent  introduction  of  new  blood.  Male  1 
mated  with  female  2  gives  offspring  3,  which  are  one-half 
each  of  the  blood  of  the  male  and  the  female.  A  male 
from  3  mated  with  the  original  female  2  gives  offspring  6, 
which  are  three-quarters  of  the  blood  of  the  female.  Sim- 
ilarly, a  female  from  3  mated  with  the  original  male  1 


PRACTICES   OF    BREEDING 


23 


gives  offspring  4,  which  are  three-quarters  of  the  blood 
of  the  male.  A  male  from  7  mated  with  a  female  from  4 
gives  offspring  9,  which  are  13-16ths  of  the  blood  of  the 
male.  Further,  a  male  from  9  mated  with  a  female  from 
7  gives  offspring  13,  which  are  27-32nds  of  the  blood  of 


I  \  ^»\^         ^ 


i^  hH  ifX -®  ^^€) 


Fig.  9 — Line  Breeding  Chart — The  circles  represent  individuals  or  groups  of 
individuals  used  in  the  breeding  or  resulting  from  the  matings  made.  Black 
represents  the  male  line  and  white  the  female  line,  the  relative  amount  of 
each  color  in  a  circle  as  well  as  the  fractional  figures  at  the  side  indicating  the 
relative  amount  of  each  blood  carried.  1!he  large  number  at  the  top  of  each 
circle  is  given  to  it  so  as  to  make  the  discussion  of  the  matings  in  the  text 
clear  and  easy  to  follow.  A  solid  black  line  connecting  one  circle  with  an- 
other indicates  that  a  male  from  the  first  group  was  used  in  the  mating  to 
produce  the  second  group,  while  a  dotted  line  indicates  that  a  female  was 
used.  The  shaded  circle  at  the  lower  right-hand  comer  indicates  the  intro- 
duction of  a  third  blood  line,  and  circle  18  shows  the  proportion  of  the  three 
bloods  in  the  resulting  offspring.      (After  Felch,    Pierce  and  Lippincott.) 


% 


24  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

the  male.  As  will  be  apparent  frcJm  the  chart,  various 
other  matings  are  possible  and  even  some  which  are  not 
shown,  all  of  w^hich  would  have  the  effect  of  producing 
ft"spring  w^ith  varying  preponderance  of  the  male  blood. 
Exactly  similar  matings  are  possible  as  shown  which 
^'ill  result  in  the  same  preponderance  of  the  blood  of  the 
^^B^iale.  At  any  time,  by  mating  individuals  from  groups 
which  show  on  the  one  hand  a  certain  proportion  of  the 
male  blood  and  on  the  other  hand  the  same  proportion 
of  the  female  blood,  it  is  possible  to  get  back  to  the  half 
blood  basis.  Thus,  a  male  from  group  7  mated  with  a 
female  from  group  8  results  in  the  half  bloods  of  group  10. 
Similarly  a  male  from  group  9  mated  wdth  a  female  from 
group  11  results  in  the  half  bloods  of  group  14. 

It  will  be  noted  from  the  chart  that  in  the  line  breeding 
it  is  possible  by  beginning  wath  two  individuals  or  two 
blood  lines  to  keep  the  matings  wdthin  these  tw^o  lines, 
but  to  have  a  wide  variation  in  the  proportion  of  each  in 
the  stock.  It  is  possible  to  breed  back  toward  the  male 
line  to  such  an  extent  as  to  eliminate  largeh^  the  female 
blood  or  to  do  the  same  thing  toward  the  female  line. 
When  a  group  is  secured  wath  such  a  proportion  or 
mixture  of  blood  as  to  give  outstanding  results  it  is  pos- 
sible to  continue  the  breeding  so  as  to  hold  the  same 
proportion  of  blood  as  long  as  desired  or  as  long  as  there 
is  no  sign  of  detriment.  This  can  be  easily  accomplished 
by  selecting  for  a  mating  both  males  and  females  from 
the  same  group.  Because  each  parent  has  the  same  pro- 
portion of  blood,  the  offspring  will  likewise  carry  this 
same  proportion.  Thus,  a  male  from  group  3  mated 
with  a  female  from  group  3  results  in  offspring  5,  which 
have  one-half  of  the  blood  of  male  and  female  lines  alike 
the  same  as  the  parent  stock.  In  the  same  way  a  male 
from  group  9  mated  with  a  female  from  group  9  w^ould 
result  in  offspring  having  13-16ths  of  the  blood  of  the 
male  line. 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING  25 

While  the  chart  shows  that  a  male  is  selected  from  a 
certain  group  to  mate  with  a  female  from  another  group, 
to  secure  the  results  indicated,  it  must  be  understood; 
that  after  the  matings  have  progressed  beyond  the  use 
of  the  original  male  or  female,  the  reciprocal  of  such  a 
mating  may  be  used,  with  identical  results  so  far  as  tbe 
proportions  of  the  blood  are  concerned.  Instead  of  mating 
a  male  from  7  with  a  female  from  4  to  produce  group  9 
having  13-16ths  of  the  female  blood,  a  male  from  4  mated 
with  a  female  from  7  would  give  offspring  which  would 
also  have  13-16ths  of  the  male  blood. 

The  combination  of  14  and  17  shows  how  new  blood 
may  be  introduced  if  desired.  A  female  from  a  new 
blood  line  mated  with  a  male  from  14  results  in  offspring 
18,  w^hich  have  one-half  of  the  blood  of  the  new  line,  one- 
fourth  of  the  blood  of  the  original  male  line  and  one-fourth 
of  the  blood  of  the  original  female  line.  This  new  blood 
could  be  crossed  in  on  individuals  showing  either  more  or 
less  than  one-half  of  the  blood  of  either  of  the  original  lines, 
the  effect  being  to  increase  the  percentage  of  the  blood 
of  one  of  the  original  lines  beyond  one-fourth  and  ap- 
proaching more  nearly  to  one-half,  with  a  corresponding 
decrease  in  the  amount  of  the  blood  of  the  other  original 
lines.  A  female  from  17  mated  with  a  male  from  16 
would  result  in  offspring  which  are  32-64ths  of  the  blood 
of  17,  21-64ths  of  the  blood  of  2,  and  ll-64ths  of  the 
blood  of  1.  A  female  from  17  mated  with  a  male  from 
12  would  reverse  the  proportion  of  the  blood  of  1  and  2, 
resulting  in  oft'spring  which  are  32-64ths  of  the  blood  of 
17,  ll-64ths  of  the  blood  of  2,  and  21-64ths  of 
the  blood   of  1. 

Out  breeding. — This  term  as  used  by  poultrymen 
usually  signifies  the  introduction  of  Mood  of  some  other 
strain  or  some  other  flock_than_  that  with  which  the 
breeder  is  working,  but  of  the  same  variety.  It  is  re- 
sorted to  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  up  the  vigor  and 


26  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

vitality  of  the  stock  or  in  some  cases  in  an  attempt  to 
improve  the  quality  of  the  stock  by  the  use  of  blood  from 
stock  which  the  breeder  believes  to  be  superior  to  his 
own.  It  must  be  kept  in  mind  in  making  such  a  step 
that  such  out  breeding  has  a  tendency  to  destroy  the 
uniformity  of  the  flock  in  some  respects  and  may  have 
exactly  the  effect,  although  in  lesser  degree,  that  would 
follow  crossing  with  a  dift'erent  variety  or  breed.  The 
desirability  of  out  breeding  will  depend  upon  the  prob- 
ability of  an  improvement  from  such  a  step  and  upon  the 
necessity  for  introducing  new  blood  to  keep  up  vigor. 
Where  the  main  purpose  of  the  poultryman  is  the  pro- 
duction of  meat  or  eggs,  and  where  he  cares  little  for  the 
uniformity  of  his  flock  from  the  show  room  point  of  view, 
it  is  common  practice  to  out  breed  every  year  or  two  by 
the  purchase  and  use  of  new  males.  As  long  as  he  uses 
males  of  the  same  variety  as  his  flock  and  takes  pains  to 
select  vigorous,  healthy  stock,  this  plan  of  breeding 
doubtless  has  advantages.  It  is  a  decided  mistake,  how- 
ever, to  use  males  of  dift'erent  varieties  or  breeds  in  intro- 
ducing new  blood,  as  it  can  only  result  in  securing  a 
product  either  in  meat  or  eggs  which  lacks  uniformity 
and  consequently  suft"ers  in  its  market  quality.  Where  a 
breeder  has  developed  a  strain  of  fowls  of  especially  fine 
quality  or  where  he  has  developed  a  high  egg  laying 
strain,  he  should  hesitate  a  long  time  before  he  introduces 
new  blood,  and  if  he  decides  to  do  so,  should  use  caution 
as  to  the  method  by  which  he  does  it. 

Crossing. — By  crossing  is  meant  the  mating  of  in- 
dividuals of  dift'erent  breeds  or  varieties.  This  is  some- 
times resorted  to  by  breeders  for  the  purpose  of  strength- 
ening or  improving  characteristics  of  color  or  type.  An 
example  of  this  is  the  use  of  Black  Breasted  Red  Games 
on  Golden  Duckwing  Games  to  strengthen  the  Golden 
Duckwing  color.  Crossing  is  also  resorted  to  when  it  is 
desired  to  secure  a  new  combination  of  characters  in  the 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING  27 

development  or  establishment  of  new  breeds  or  varieties. 
There  is  a  belief  that  the  mating  of  fowls  of  different 
breeds  or  varieties,  and  consequently  those  which  are 
absolutely  unrelated,  tends  to  produce  offspring  which 
are  unusually  strong  and  vigorous,  more  so,  in  fact,  than 
when  crossing  does  not  occur.  There  seems  to  be  con- 
siderable foundation  for  such  a  belief.  Crossing  is  there- 
fore sometimes  resorted  to  for  the  purpose  of  increasing 
vigor  or  vitality. 

It  must  be  clearly  understood  by  anyone  who  contem- 
plates crossing,  that  while  the  offspring  directly  resulting 
from  the  cross  are  often  quite  uniform  in  color,  type  and 
size,  when  these  latter  individuals  are  mated,  their  off- 
spring   usually    vary    very     widely     in     color,    tvpe    and 
size,  and  the  variation  may  be  all  the  wav  from  indi- 
viduals resembling  one   of  the   original   parents   of  the 
cross  in  one  or  more  particulars  through  many  gradations 
and   combinations   to   individuals   resembling  the   other 
parent.     Uniformity  is  very  largely  destroyed  and  can 
only  be  regained  by  the  selection   in   successive  gener- 
ations of  individuals  embodying  the  desired  characters. 
This  is  a   long,   slow  process,   and   for  this   reason   the 
crossing  of  varieties  or  breeds  should  be  left  in  the  hands 
of  the  expert  breeder  who  has  some  definite  and  good 
reason  for  making  the  cross.     Occasionally  a  cross  is  re- 
sorted to  by  poultrymen  where   experience   has  shown 
that  the  offspring  will  possess  some  desired  quality  in 
high^  degree,    such    as    meat    qualify    or    good    egg    pro- 
duction, but  where  this  is  done  it  is  necessary  to"  make 
the  same  cross  whenever  young  stock  is  desired.     This 
is  inconvenient,  as  it  requires  that  stock  of  the  varieties 
crossed  be  kept  pure  in  order  to  have  the  individuals  for 
making  the  cross. 

Grading  up.— This  is  a  process  of  improvement  of 
mongrel  stock  by  the  use  in  successive  generations  of 
pure   or  standard-bred   males   of  the   same   variety.     In 


28  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDTNC    ^^   POULTRY 

each  generation  the  females  which  most  nearly  resemble 
females  of  the  variety  of  the  male  used  should  be  se- 
lected and  in  turn  bred  back  to  another  male  of  the  same 
variety.  Repeated  practice  of  this  sort  leads  to  rapid 
improvement  and  in  a  few  generations  the  stock  can  be 
brought  to  a  point  where  for  all  practical  purposes  it  is 
pure  bred.  In  no  case  should  males  of  different  breeds 
or  varieties  be  used  in  the  different  years,  as  such  a  step 
will  destroy  all  the  uniformity  obtained  and  quickly  de- 
grade the  flock  again  into  one  of  mongrels.  Nor  should 
the  grade  males  be  used  for  breeding  until  the  uniformity 
of  the  flock  has  been  well  fixed. 

As  a  result  of  the  first  use  of  the  pure-bred  male,  the 
resulting  offspring  carry  one-half  pure  blood.  In  suc- 
ceeding generations  this  becomes  ^i,  y%,  ^'Xe*  ^tc.  It 
is  easy  to  realize,  therefore,  why  improvement  is  so  rapid. 

It  must  be  clearly  understood  that  grading  up  is  not  a 
practice  which  is  recommended  in  preference  to  pur- 
chasing or  keeping  pure-bred  stock.  The  latter  course 
is  by  all  means  preferable.  Grading  up  should  only  be 
practiced  when  it  is  impossible  to  make  the  necessary 
investment  for  pure-bred  stock  or  where  it  is  impossible 
to  interest  a  poultrykeeper  otherwise  in  the  improvement 
of  his  stock.  Grading  up  is  most  commonly  practiced 
in  improving  farm  flocks. 

Introducing  new  blood. — in  introducing  new  blood  it 
is  well  not  to  use  it  indiscriminately  on  the  flock  until  the 
breeder  has  determined  how  well  it  will  blend  or  "nick" 
with  the  blood  of  his  own  birds.  If  a  male  is  purchased 
he  should  be  mated  to  three  or  four  selected  females  and 
the  quality  of  the  offspring  from  this  mating  carefully 
observed.  If  the  result  is  good,  a  male  or  males  from 
this  mating  can  be  used  on  the  flock.  This  will  not  only 
aft'ord  an  opportunity  to  test  out  the  fitness  of  the  new 
blood  for  use,  but  by  using  the  oft'spring  of  the  trial 
mating  will  cut  down  the  percentage  of  new  blood  in- 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING  29 

troduced  on  the  general  flock,  thereby  lessening  its  dis- 
turbing influence,  while  at  the  same  time  securing  in 
some  measure  such  benefits  as  may  accrue  from  the  use 
of  new  blood.  The  purchased  male  after  being  thus 
tested  for  use  on  the  breeder's  flock,  may,  if  the  results 
of  the  trial  mating  seem  to  warrant,  be  used  more  widely 
the  following  season. 

Many  breeders  prefer  to  purchase  one  or  two  females 
when  introducing  new  blood.  In  this  case  they  mate 
these  females  with  a  selected  male  from  their  own  stock 
and  if  the  result  of  this  trial  mating  is  good,  they  use 
the  male  offspring  for  the  further  introduction  of  the 
new  blood. 

Purchasing  breeders. — In  purchasing  breeders  it  is  by 
all  means  advisable  to  make  a  personal  visit  to  the  farm 
of  the  breeder  from  whom  the  purchase  is  to  be  made. 
This  not  only  gives  one  a  chance  to  pick  out  the  par- 
ticular kind  of  bird  which  he  needs  for  his  purpose,  but 
also  enables  one  to  form  a  good  estimate  of  the  general 
quality  and  vigor  of  the  stock  as  a  result  of  looking  over 
the  whole  flock.  Such  an  inspection  of  the  whole  flock, 
together  with  a  talk  with  the  breeder,  may  often  enable 
one  to  gain  a  valuable  idea  of  the  breeding  tendencies  of 
this  particular  flock,  so  that  he  can  more  intelligently 
mate  the  purchased  birds  with  his  own  fowls.  Where  a 
visit  to  the  breeder's  flock  is  not  possible,  it  is  necessary 
to  depend  upon  the  judgment  and  ability  of  the  seller  to 
select  the  bird  or  birds  which  will  do  the  purchaser  the 
most  good.  Where  such  an  order  is  given  by  mail,  it  is 
well  to  explain  not  only  the  kind  of  bird  desired,  but  also 
to  describe  briefly  but  clearly  the  purpose  of  the  mating 
which  is  to  be  made,  and  to  give  a  good  description  of 
the  purchaser's  stock  and  its  breeding  tendencies,  as  this 
will  often  materially  aid  the  breeder  supplying  the  bird 
to  select  the  one  which  will  give  best  results. 

It  is  suggested  that  the  beginner  in  buying  a  trio  or 


30 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


pen  from  the  breeder,  purchase  these  already  mated  and 
request  the  breeder  to  explain  why  he  puts  those  par- 
ticular birds  together.  It  is  also  suggested  that  the 
breeder  leg  band  and  keep  a  record  of  any  birds  which  he 
sells,  and  to  whom  sold,  so  that  if  he  is  called  upon  to 
furnish  other  birds  to  the  same  customer  in  the  future  he 
will  be  in  better  position  to  know  just  what  birds  to 
furnish  for  best  results. 

Often  purchasers,  particularly  beginners,  complain  be- 
cause birds  purchased  by  them  show  some  defects  or 
weaknesses.  In  this  connection  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  no  birds  are  perfect.  Weaknesses  or  things  to 
be  guarded  against  Avill  be  found  in  all  birds  to  some 
extent,  and  one  must  not  expect  that  birds  purchased 

will  be  entirely 
free  from  them. 
In  other  words, 
one  must  not 
expect  to  re- 
ceive a  perfect 
bird  and  should 
not  feel  de- 
frauded if  some 
defects  are 
shown.  A  bird 
which  is  not 
very  bad  in  any 
one  section,  but 
which  may  show 
one  or  more 
slight  defects 
which  are  not 
disqualifications, 
is  a  good  bird  and  usually  worth  the  money  paid  for  it. 
Beginners  also  frequently  complain  that  birds  pur- 
chased   by    them    show    or    develop    a    few    ofif-colored 


Fig.     10.     Barred     Plymouth     Rock     female    showing 
black    feathers    in    the    plumage.      (Photograph    from 
the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States    De- 
partment  of   Agriculture.) 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING 


31 


feathers  and  think  that  this  indicates  impurity  of  blood. 
Such  is  not  the  case,  for  off-colored  feathers  are  not  un- 
common in  many  varieties,  as,  for  example,  the  black 
feathers  in  the  Barred  Plymouth  Rock.  Such  off-colored 
feathers  are  not  seen  in  the  specimens  exhibited  at  the 
shows,  simply  because  they  are  pulled  out,  but  their 
presence  does  not  indicate  impurity  of  blood.  In  chicks, 
also,  before  they  get  their  mature  plumage  there  may  be 
foreign  color  of  plumage  shown,  and  this  is  often  mis- 
taken for  evidence  of  impurity.  With  the  growth  of  the 
mature  plumage,  however,  this  foreign  color  is  usually 
completely  lost.  An  example  of  this  is  the  white  which 
commonly  occurs  in  the  wings  of  chicks  of  black  va- 
rieties, but  which  usually  disappears  from  the  adult 
plumage. 

Standard  or 
single  mating. 
— By  this  is 
meant  the  use  of 
birds  of  both 
sexes  which  ap- 
proach as  closely 
as  possible  the 
standard  re- 
quirements for 
the  variety  in 
question.  In 
some  respects 
this  is  the  sim- 
plest breeding  to 
follow  and  is 
the  method  most 
commonly  and 
most  widely  used,  particularly  in  the  case  of  solid  colored 
birds.  Where  this  method  is  employed  it  is  the  ex- 
pectation to  secure  birds  cf  both  sexes  which  are  of  good 


Fig.  11.  The  same  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  female 
shown  in  Fig.  10,  after  the  black  feathers  have  been 
removed.  (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,  United   States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


32  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

quality,  or,  in  other  words,  which  approach  fairly  closely 
to  the  standard.  Many  older  and  more  experienced 
breeders  are  at  present  employing  this  method  less  and 
less  exclusively,  and  are  leaning  toward  the  double 
mating  system.  In  some  cases,  such  as  the  solid  colored 
birds,  this  double  mating  does  not  take  the  form  of  two 
matings  which  differ  markedly  in  character,  but  rather 
in  the  development  of  two  more  or  less  distinct  blood 
lines,  one  of  which  shows  a  greater  tendency  to  produce 
males  of  good  quality  and  the  other  to  produce  females 
of  good  quality. 

Combination  mating. — Frequently  a  special,  or  what 
may  be  termed  a  combination  mating,  is  employed.  In 
this  mating  one  male  is  used  with  two  dift'erent  types  of 
females,  from  one  of  which  standard  male  oft'spring  are 
more  particularly  expected,  and  from  the  other  standard 
female  oft'spring. 

Double  mating. — Double  mating  consists  of  the  use  of 
two  distinct  matings  or  sets  of  matings ;  one  for  the 
purpose  of  producing  a  greater  percentage  of  standard 
males,  and  the  other  for  the  purpose  of  producing  a 
greater  percentage  of  standard  females.  The  first  of 
l^hese  matings  is  therefore  known  as  the  cockerel  mating, 
and  the  females  from  it  will  usually  prove  unsuitable  for 
exhibition,  but  are  useful  for  continuing  this  line  of 
breeding,  and  are  known  as  cockerel-bred  females.  The 
second  of  these  matings  is  known  as  the  pullet  mating, 
and  the  males  produced  from  it  will  usually  prove  un- 
suitable for  exhibition,  but  are  useful  for  continuing  this 
line  of  breeding,  and  are  known  as  pullet-bred  males.  It 
will,  therefore,  be  seen  that  the  practice  of  double  mating 
necessitates  the  carrying  of  two  distinct  lines  of  blood, 
the  pullet  line  and  the  cockerel  line.  Often  the  matings 
are  quite  distinct  in  character,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Barred  Plymouth  Rock,  where  each  mating  is  made  and 
designed  to  offset  the  natural  tendency  of  the  male  and 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING  33 

female  ofifspring  to  diverge  in  their  color  markings. 
However,  as  mentioned  under  Standard  or  Single  mating, 
double  mating  sometimes  resolves  itself  simply  into  the 
keeping  of  two  distinct  lines  of  blood  which  have  proven 
especially  suited,  one  for  the  production  of  males  and 
one  for  the  production  of  females. 

A  fixed  plan  of  breeding. — For  success  in  breeding  it 
is  necessary  first  of  all  to  have  a  definite  ideal  in  mind. 
In  case  this  is  some  utility  quality,  such  as  increased  egg 
production  or  improved  table  birds,  the  breeder  must 
have  clearly  in  mind  just  what  he  wishes  to  accomplish. 
In  case  it  is  the  production  of  standard  or  show  speci- 
mens, he  must  carefully  study  the  description  of  his 
variety,  as  given  in  the  Standard  of  Perfection,  and  be- 
come so  familiar  w^ith  these  requirements  that  he  has  the 
ideal  clearly  and  definitely  fixed  in  his  mind.  Having  a 
definite  ideal  to  breed  to,  he  must  then  have  a  fixed  plan 
of  procedure,  and  as  this  is  important,  he  must  in  its 
main  features  adhere  to  it.  He  will  fail  to  make  progress 
of  a  substantial  character  if  he  continuously  changes  his 
plan  of  breeding,  and  his  success,  instead  of  consisting 
in  producing  a  good  percentage  of  birds  of  quality,  will 
be,  if  any,  of  a  spasmodic  and  accidental  kind  that  pro- 
duces only  an  occasional  good  individual.  A  measure 
of  the  success  of  the  breeding  is  a  comparison  of  the 
young  stock  wdth  the  parent  stock.  Unless  the  young 
stock  shows  on  the  whole  an  improvement  over  the 
parent  stock,  no  progress  is  being  made.  If  such  a  lack 
of  improvement  continues  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  the 
plan  of  breeding  is  wrong,  and  a  change  of  method 
should  then  be  made. 

Foreseeing  bad  tendencies. — The  successful  breeder 
must  be  foresighted.  He  must  be  quick  to  see  any  bad 
tendencies  creeping  into  the  flock  and  must  take  steps  in 
his  matings  to  correct  them.  The  quicker  he  notes  such 
tendencies,  the  easier  will  be  his  task  of  eradicating  them. 


34  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 

If  he  does  not  recog-nize  the  danger  until  it  shows 
strongly  in  the  flock,  he  will  have  a  serious  time  eradi- 
cating it.  This  again  emphasizes  the  necessity  for  the 
breeder  to  be  continuously  studying  his  flock  in  the  most 
minute  manner.  He  must  in  eft'ect  be  thinking  and 
planning  ahead  of  his  actual  matings.  For  example,  a 
breeder  of  White  Leghorns  may  notice  a  troublesome 
tendency  toward  white  in  face  creeping  into  his  flock. 
He  must  then  immediately  become  more  rigid  in  his  se- 
lection against  white  in  face  and  use  no  birds  showing  it 
if  it  can  possibly  be  avoided.  In  any  case,  it  will  be  a 
wise  precaution  for  him  to  make  a  special  mating  of  birds 
strong  in  face,  so  that  he  will  have  available  a  quantity 
of  young  stock,  especially  strong  in  this  particular,  from 
which  he  can  select  breeders  to  use  in  his  future  matings 
and  so  check  this  troublesome  tendency. 

Establishment  of  blood  lines. — The  breeder  must  aim 
to  establish  his  own  blood  lines.  To  do  so,  he  must  con- 
centrate on  the  lines  which  show  the  most  promise  in  his 
breeding.  When  blood  lines  are  fairly  well  established 
he  can  rely  much  more  certainly  on  the  results  to  be  ob- 
tained from  the  matings  than  if  blood  of  different  lines 
is  continuously  being  introduced.  Blood  from  some 
other  line  may  utterly  fail  to  blend  or  ''nick"  well  with 
his  own  lines  and  the  result  of  such  a  mixing  of  blood 
lines  may  often  have  the  same  upsetting  results,  though 
within  narrower  limits,  of  course,  that  is  obtained  in 
crossing  varieties  or  breeds.  When  it  is  desired  to  seek 
improvement  by  introducing  new  blood  lines,  this  should 
be  done  in  such  a  way  as  to  upset  the  breeder's  own  lines 
as  little  as  possible.   Sec  section  on  introducing  new  blood. 

Offsetting  the  weak  points  of  one  sex  with  strength  in 
the  other  sex. — This  is  a  pretty  generally  recognized 
practice  of  breeding  and  is  well  founded.  Having  de- 
termined to  use  certain  females  or  a  certain  male  in  the 
mating,  the  selection  of  the  individuals  of  the  opposite 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING  35 

sex  should  embody  in  so  far  as  possible,  strength  in  those 
sections  where  weakness  is  shown  in  their  mates.  Failure 
to  do  so  may,  and  usually  does,  result  in  the  intensifi- 
cation of  the  weakness,  and  may  finally  result  in  the 
presence  of  a  weakness  or  defect  which  is  common  and 
firmly  fixed  throughout  the  flock.  Where  it  is  not  pos- 
sible to  make  such  a  compensating  selection  in  a  mating, 
other  matings  should  be  made,  which  will  be  strong 
where  the  first  mating  is  weak,  so  that  the  resulting  oft- 
spring  can  be  used  in  succeeding  matings  to  correct  or 
offset  the  weakness. 

Grouping  the  birds  for  selection  of  the  matings. — When 
selecting  birds  for  a  mating  it  will  be  found  a  material 
help  if  they  can  be  brought  together  so  that  they  can  be 
easily  and  carefully  compared.  If  a  few  exhibition  coops 
are  available  the  birds  can  be  placed  in  these  and  the 
comparison  easily  made.  The  females  or  the  males  can 
then  be  brought  side  by  side,  studied  and  handled  and  a 
more  intelligent  selection  made  than  if  the  birds  are 
separated  in  different  pens  and  the  memory  is  relied  upon 
to  select  those  best  suited  for  the  purpose. 

Breeding  birds  with  defects. — The  advisability  of 
breeding  birds  with  defects  depends  upon  the  seriousness 
of  the  defect  and  upon  the  freedom  of  the  stock  as  a 
whole  or  its  tendency  toward  the  same  defect.  If  the 
bird  possessing  the  defect  is  an  outstanding  individual 
in  other  respects,  it  is  often  advisable  to  breed  it.  It  is 
better  to  discard  than  to  use  it,  however,  if  the  flock 
shows  a  tendency  toward  this  defect.  In  any  case,  when 
such  a  bird  is  used,  the  opposite  sex  of  the  mating  should 
be  selected  with  especial  care  to  offset  the  defect.  Many 
defects  are  due  to  accident  or  certain  forms  of  deformity. 
Red  spots  in  white  ear  lobes,  crooked  breast  bones  due  to 
too  early  roosting,  or  the  occasional  crooked  or  roach  back 
that  is  thrown  by  normal  individuals  need  cause  the  breeder 
little  or  no  concern. 


36 


THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


Breeding  birds  with  disqualifications. — In  general,  it  is 
unwise  to  breed  birds  showing  disquaUfications.  In  the 
first  place,  a  disqualification  if  reproduced  renders  the 
birds  unfit  either  for  sale  or  for  exhibition,  and  in  the 
second  place,  disqualifications  are  likely  to  be  defects  which 
are  more  or  less  common  and  troublesome  to  the  breed  or 
variety,  and  therefore  quite  likely  to  be  reproduced.  Some- 
times a  disqualified  bird  of  such  extraordinary  excellence, 

except  for  the 
d  isqualification, 
is  obtained  that 
it  is  desirable  to 
breed  it.  The 
individual  judg- 
m  e  n  t  of  the 
breeder  must 
decide  whether 
this  is  wise,  and. 
as  in  the  case  of 
birds  showing 
defects,  the  ad- 
visability will 
depend  largely 
upon  the  com- 
monness of  the 
occurrence  o  f 
that  particular 
d  i  squalification 
in  his  stock. 
Disqualifications 
such  as  stubs 
and  side  sprigs  are  common  and  strongly  inherited  in  some 
breeds,  while  in  others  they  are  rare  and  less  strongly  in- 
herited. For  example,  it  is  dangerous  to  breed  a  Rhode 
Island  Red  showing  stubs  or  side  sprigs,  less  dangerous  to 
breed  a  Barred   Plymouth  Rock   under  the  same  circum- 


Fig.    12.     Single    comb    showing   side    sprig.      (Photo- 
graph   from   the   Bureau   of    Animal   Industry,    United 
States   Department  of   Agriculture.) 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING  37 

stances,  and  still  less  dangerous  to  use  such  a  Leghorn.  In 
any  case,  only  super  excellence  of  a  disqualified  individual 
justifies  its  use  as  a  breeder. 

Defects  likely  to  occur  in  common  color  matings. — In 
varieties  of  the  same  color  but  of  different  breeds  there  are 
certain  well-defined  defects  which  are  more  or  less  common 
to  all  of  them  and  which  must  therefore  be  uniformly 
guarded  against  in  the  mating.  The  defects  mentioned  in 
connection  with  the  common  color  matings  given  below  are 
likely  to  appear  in  that  colored  variety  of  any  breed,  but 
may  occur  more  commonly  in  some  than  in  others.  They  are 
grouped  under  these  headings  for  the  information  of  anyone 
who  is  particularly  interested  in  a  general  color  mating. 

White  matings. — Black  or  dark  ticking;  creaminess  in 
quill  or  undercolor;  brassiness ;  black  or  foreign  color  in 
the  quills  ;  solid  black  in  wings  or  tail ;  black  feathers  in  any 
section ;   red,  buff  or  salmon  in  the  plumage  ;   gray  plumage. 

Black  matings. — Gray  in  the  hackle  and  saddle  of  males ; 
red,  straw  or  silver  in  the  hackle,  back,  wing  bows  or  saddle 
of  males  ;  white,  gray  or  light  undercolor  in  the  hackle,  back 
and  saddle  of  males,  especially  in  hackle ;  white  in  sickles  of 
males;  bronze  tinge  on  the  shoulders  and  especially  on  the 
tails  of  males ;  brownish  or  dull  black  surface  color  in 
females;  white  or  gray  in  wings;  purple  barring;  white  or 
gray  at  root  of  tail;  dull  black  surface  color  lacking  the 
green  sheen ;  frosted  or  white  tips  to  the  wing  feathers ; 
white  in  flights. 

Buff  matings. — White  edging  to  the  sickle  feathers  of 
males ;  unevenness  of  color  of  the  hackle,  back,  wing  bows 
and  saddle  of  males ;  too  heavy  color  on  the  shoulders  and 
back  of  males ;  too  light  or  white  undercolor  at  base  of 
hackle,  at  base  of  tail  or  in  the  saddle  of  males ;  wing  bow 
darker  than  breast,  especially  in  males ;  tendency  for  the 
saddle  and  tail  coverts  to  be  laced  with  white ;  shafting, 
mealiness  and  patchiness  in  females ;  too  light  color  in 
females ;  white,  black,  a  peppering  of  either  or  smokiness  in 


38  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

the  wing  flights  or  in  the  main  tail  feathers ;  white  in  under- 
color; white  or  very  light  huff  quills  close  to  the  body; 
feathers  tending  to  be  laced. 

Columbian  matings. — No  lacing  on  the  back  at  the  base 
of  the  tail  in  males;  brassy  surface  color  in  males;  black 
ticking  on  the  throat,  breast  and  fluff  of  males ;  purple  bar- 
ring in  the  black  of  male's  tail  and  hackle;  brown  cast  to 
the  primary  wing  feathers  of  males ;  black  or  black  ticking 
in  the  surface  of  the  backs  of  females ;  too  heavy  lacing  in 
the  tail  coverts  of  females ;  indistinct  or  smutty  lacing  in  the 
hackle  and  tail  coverts  of  females;  white  spots  in  the  pri- 
maries of  females ;  black  in  the  surface  of  the  feathers  at 
the  sides  of  the  fluff  and  of  the  body  feathers  just  in  front 
of  the  fluff ;  too  light  or  faded  appearing  markings ;  the 
white  lacing  not  extending  clear  around  the  ends  of  the 
hackle  feathers ;  too  light  or  pure  white  under  color ;  main 
tail  and  sickle  feathers  not  black  clear  to  the  skin ;  gray  in 
the  wnngs. 

Golden  mating-; — Smutty  wing  bars  and  shoulders; 
frosting,  especially  on  the  breast ;  mossiness  both  in  pullets 
and  in  hens  that  have  molted  mossy;  the  lacing  of  the 
hackle  not  extending  around  the  ends  of  the  feathers ;  purple 
barring  in  the  black  sections  of  the  males  ;  too  heavy  lacing ; 
black  peppering  or  mossiness  in  the  ground  color;  black 
peppering  in  the  wings ;  light  or  white  in  the  black  of  the 
flight  and  main  tail  feathers ;  general  color  of  the  plumage 
too  light;  uneven  lacing;  lacing  weak  or  lacking  under  the 
throat  and  on  the  head. 

Silver  matings. — Smutty  wing  bars  and  shoulders ;  too 
narrow  or  too  heavy  lacing;  frosting,  especially  on  the 
breast;  mossiness,  both  in  pullets  and  in  hens  that  have 
molted  mossy ;  the  lacing  of  the  hackle  not  extending  around 
the  ends  of  the  feathers ;  black  peppering  or  mossiness  in 
the  ground  color ;  black  peppering  in  the  wings ;  general 
color  of  the  plumage  too  light ;  uneven  lacing ;  lacing  weak 
or  lacking  under  the  throat  and  on  the  head. 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING  39 

Partridge  matings. — The  black  striping  running  through 
the  ends  of  the  hackle  and  saddle  feathers  of  the  males  so 
that  there  is  no  red  edging  showing  clear  around  the  ends  of 
the  feathers ;  white  in  the  tail  and  wings,  especially  in 
males ;  too  light  colored  females  with  lemon  hackles ; 
stippling  in  the  tail  coverts  of  females ;  too  dark  a  red  in 
males ;  lemon  hackle  in  males ;  yellow  shafts  to  the  hackle 
nnd  saddle  feathers  of  males ;  purple  and  purple  barring  in 
the  black  sections  of  males ;  white  or  light  in  the  under  color 
of  the  hackle,  back  and  saddle  of  males ;  metallic  sheen  in 
females;  too  dark  penciling,  that  is,  the  black  pencilings 
wider  than  the  red  of  the  feathers ;  too  fine  or  too  narrow 
penciling;  stippling,  barring  or  broken  penciling  in  the  back 
and  fluff;  dark  legs,  particularly  in  females. 

Silver  Penciled  matings. — Red  on  wings  of  males ;  solid 
white  in  flight  and  main  tail  feathers  of  males,  other  than 
the  white  edging  of  the  primaries  and  secondaries  called  for 
by  the  standard ;  brassy  backs  of  males ;  inclination  to 
brownish  cast  instead  of  gray  in  females,  which  is  apt  to 
increase  with  age ;  gray  in  flight  feathers ;  brown  on  the 
shoulders  of  males ;  purple  barring  in  the  black  sections  of 
males  ;  indistinct  penciling  in  females  ;  poor  penciling  of  the 
throat  and  breast  of  females ;  poor  penciling  of  the  lower 
back  and  tail  of  females ;  the  hackle  and  saddle  striping 
running  clear  through  the  ends  of  the  feathers. 

Mottled  matings. — Birds  too  light  in  color ;  too  large 
white  tips  of  the  feathers ;  indistinct  white  tips  showing 
some  black  or  gray ;  too  many  white  feathers  in  the  wing 
bows,  both  of  males  and  females ;  red  or  brass  in  the  hackle, 
back,  wing  bows  and  saddle  of  males ;  too  much  white  in 
the  wing  flights  and  secondaries  and  in  the  main  tail  feath- 
ers ;  ashy  color  in  the  white  tips ;  purple  barring ;  white 
feathers  in  the  bodies  of  females. 

Use  of  tested  breeders. — Often  it  happens  that  some  indi- 
vidual, which  may  or  may  not  be  in  itself  an  exceptional 


40  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

individual,  will  prove  to  be  unusually  prepotent  and  conse- 
quently have  an  unusual  value  as  a  breeder.  This  can  only 
be  determined  as  the  result  of  matings  made,  but  when  such 
an  individual  is  found  it  should,  of  course,  be  used  as  long 
as  it  will  breed  to  advantage.  Sometimes  a  particular 
mating  \vill  be  found  to  give  unusually  good  results,  and 
when  this  is  the  case  the  same  mating  should  be  kept  together 
in  successive  years  as  long  as  possible. 


'A 

A 

-A 

A 

-  A 

A 

-  A 

A 

=■  A 

A 

-  A 

A 

-A 

A 

^  A 

A 

-  A 

A 

'^  A 

A 

«^  A 

A 

«  A 

A 

-A 

A 

'^  A 

A 

*  A 

A 

'-  A 

A 

Fig.  13.     The  combination  of  marks  possible  to  use  in   toe-punching 

chicks.      (From    the    Bureau     of     Animal     Industry,     United     States 

Department  of  Agriculture.) 

Pedigreeing. — Young  stock  should  be  pedigreed.  This 
means  that  a  record  be  kept  of  their  parentage  so  that  it  is 
possible  to  know  the  parents  of  any  desirable  individuals. 
Only  by  pedigree  breeding  can  the  breeder  know  what  the 
different  matings  or  the  different  individuals  are  producing, 
and  consequently  their  breeding  value.  The  most  common 
form  of  pedigreeing  is  simply  to  keep  a  pen  record.    This  is 


I»RACTICES    OF    BREEDING  41 

most  commonly  done  by  toe  punching  the  chicks  from  each 
mating  with  a  distinctive  mark.  Chick  leg  bands  may  be 
used  for  this  purpose  if  desired,  but  toe  punching  is  simple 
and  answers  the  purpose  very  well.  There  is  a  tendency  for 
some  of  the  toe  punches  to  grow  up,  and  to  make  sure  that 
this  does  not  occur  and  thereby  confuse  the  record  the 
chicks  should  be  gone  over  carefully  when  about  two  weeks 
old,  and  any  holes  which  show  a  tendency  to  grow  up 
punched  out  anew.  This  second  punch,  if  necessary  is 
almost  certain  to  be  permanent.  See  Fig.  13  The-e  pen 
pedigrees  tell  the  sire  of  the  chicks,  but  do  not  indicate 
which  hen  they  are  out  of. 

Where  pedigree  records  are  desired  which  will  give  the 
parentage  on  both  the  male  and  female  side,  it  is  necessary 
to  resort  to  a  more  complicated  system  of  records,  except 
where  the  matings  are  few  and  the  individual  hens  of  all  the 
matings  involved  do  not  exceed  16  in  number.  For  any 
number  of  hens  up  to  16  a  different  toe  punch  can  be  given 
the  chicks  from  each  hen. 


S?'hatchS^^  ?Pv!nt™"K^  )'^"'  ^.t''^^  ''"  pedigree  basket  and  bag  ready 

lor  hatching.      (Photograph   from   the  Bureau  of   Animal  Industry.   United 

btates  Department  of  Agriculture.) 

Trapnesting  is  the  first  requirement  of  complete  pedigree- 
ing  in  order  to  be  able  to  identify  the  eggs  from  each  hen. 
These  eggs  should  be  marked,  preferably  on  the  large  end, 
with  the  number  of  the  hen,  and  if  desired,  with  the  pen 
number  as  well.     Sometimes  the  system  is  used  of  writing 


42 


THE   MATING   AND   BREEDING   OF   POULTRY 


the  pen  number,  then  drawing  a  Hne  and  beneath  writing  the 


hen  number,  e.  g. 


9/ 


9  being  the  pen  number  and  36  the 


hen  number.  If  the  eggs  are  to  be  incubated  under  hens, 
enough  must  be  saved  from  an  individual  hen  for  a  sitting, 
or  eggs  from  two  or  more  hens  of  different  breeds  may  be 
used  to  make  up  a  sitting.  If  they  are  to  be  hatched  in  in- 
cubators, eggs  from  the  different  hens  are  placed  in  the 
machine  together.    On  the  eighteenth  day  the  eggs  from  each 

hen  are  sorted  out  and 
placed  in  a  pedigree  bag 
or  pedigree  trays  for 
hatching.  Pedigree  trays, 
consisting  of  wire-en- 
closed compartments  to 
be  set  on  the  ordinary 
incubator  trays,  can  be 
purchased.  Suitable  ped- 
igree bags  can  be  made 
easily  and  cheaply  of 
mosquito  bar  or  bobbi- 
net  of  any  size  desired 
and  consisting  of  one, 
two  or  four  compart- 
ments. See  Fig.  14.  The 
eggs  are  placed  in  these 
bags,  which  are  tied 
tightly  shut  so  that  the 
chicks  cannot  escape  and 
become  mixed.  A  fairly 
liberal  allowance  of 
room  should  be  made  in 
these  bags,  for  if  the 
eggs  are  crowded  they  will  not  hatch  so  w^ell  and  the  chicks 
are  more  .likely  to  be  crippled. 

As  soon  as  the  hatch  is  complete  the  chicks  are  removed 
from  the  bags  and  each  one  banded  with  an  open  numbered 


i 

f^ 

- 

■ 

' 

m 

!^hrf»?r-  ^:  f-x. 

1 

Fig.   15.     Chick  with  duplicate  pedicrree  leg 
bands.      (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of 
Animal    Industry.     United     States    Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.) 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING 


43 


chick  band  such  as  can  be  purchased  of  au)^  poultry  supply 
house.     A  note  is  made  of  the  band  number  and  of  the 
parentage  of  the  chick  bearing  this  band.     The  band  must 
be  pressed  around  the  legs  of  the  chick  closely  enough  so 
that  it  will  not  slip  off  over  the  foot.     See  Fig.'  15.    As  the 
chick  grows,  the  band  must  be  opened  from  time  to  time  to 
allow   for  the  increased 
size    of    the    leg.      The 
growth   of    the   leg  will 
not  force  open  the  band, 
and  failure  to  attend  to 
the  bands  will  cause  the 
leg  to  grow  around  and 
beyond    the    band     and 
may  cause  a  bad  sore  or 
even     the    loss     of    the 
chick.     When  the  chick 
is  two  to  six  weeks  old 
the  band   should  be  re- 
moved from  the  leg  and 
placed    in    the    wing, 
where   it   can    be   worn 
until  maturity.     Fig.  16. 
A     small     knife     blade 
should    be    run   through 
the    thin    skin     on    the 
upper  side  of  the   wing 
which  extends  from  the 
shoulder  joint  to  the 
outer  joint  of  the  wing, 
and  the  band  passed  through  this  hole  and  pressed  together. 
By  holding  the  spread  wing  up  to  the  light  a  spot  can  easily 
be  selected  about  one-quarter  inch  from  the  outer  edge  of 
the  skin  where  no  blood  vessels  of  any  size  are  visible,  and 
little  or  no  bleeding  will  result.     Fig.  17.     The  ends  of  the 
band   should   be   brought   together   or   lapped   slightly    and 


Fig-.  IG.  Position  of  pedieree  hand  after  it 
has  been  transferred  from  the  lej?  to  the 
wing.  (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of 
Animal  Industry,  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.) 


44  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

pressed  close  together,  but  the  whole  band  should  be  left 
rounded  and  not  to  be  pressed  tightly  together  so  as  to  pinch 
the  skin,  as  this  may  cause  irritation,  swelling  and  pain,  or 
may  cause  a  sore  which  may  lead  to  the  band  sloughing  off 
and  becoming  lost.  These  bands  stay  on  the  legs  and  in  the 
wings  of  the  chicks  remarkably  well  and  only  a  small  per- 
centage are  lost.  If  desired,  two  bands  bearing  duplicate 
numbers  can  be  used,  one  on  each  leg,  and  later  transferred 
to  each  wing.  This  will  reduce  the  numbers  of  chicks  with 
lost  pedigree  records  to  a  minimum.    Pedigree  breeding  in- 


Fig.    17.     Place   where   pedigree   band    is    inserted    through    the   wing. 

(Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States 

Department   of    Agriculture.) 

volves  a  considerable  amount  of  extra  work  and  detail 
record  keeping.  It  is,  however,  the  only  means  by  which  the 
breeder  is  able  to  determine  with  certainty  which  birds  and 
matings  are  producing  results  and  which  are  failures.  For 
the  breeder  who  is  striving  for  improvement  and  who  wants 
to  know  exactly  what  he  is  doing,  whether  in  breeding  for 
standard  requirements,  for  utility,  or  for  both,  it  is  well 
worth  while. 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING 


45 


Record  of  matings. — A  record  of  the  matings  made  each 
^•ear  should  be  kept.  Each  pen  or  mating  should  be  given  a 
'.^uniber,  and  under  this  should  be  listed  the  females  and  the 
male  used  in  the  mating.    The  value  of  this  record  lies  in  the 


fact  that  if  a  mating  gives  unusually  good  results,  so  that  it 
is  desired  to  repeat  it  the  following  year,  this  can  be  done 
without  any  uncertainty  as  to  the  individuals  involved. 


46  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

Description  of  matings. — A  description  of  the  matings 
and  of  the  individuals  used  in  the  matings  should  be  made 
and  filed  for  reference.  Such  a  description  may  prove  very 
valuable,  as  it  enables  the  breeder  to  refresh  his  memory  as 
to  the  exact  character  and  peculiarities  of  any  individuals 
which  have  given  good  results  even  if  they  have  died,  and 
may  then  yield  him  valuable  breeding  knowledge  which  he 
would  otherwise  overlook.  Such  a  description,  when  made 
of  pullets  and  cockerels,  will  give  the  breeder  a  knowledge 
of  the  bird  in  pullet  or  cockerel  condition,  and  may  enable 
him  to  know  in  later  years  whether  certain  defects  are  due 
to  age,  and  will  guide  him,  therefore,  as  to  whether  it  is  wise 
or  unwise  to  use  them  in  any  particular  mating  which  he  has 
in  mind. 

When  chicks  are  pedigreed  and  a  record  kept  of  the 
matings,  it  is  well  to  go  over  the  young  stock  critically  in  the 
fall  before  the  old  stock  is  culled.  By  doing  this,  a  good 
idea  will  be  gained  as  to  which  of  the  breeding  stock  has 
given  results  in  superior  young  stock  and  which  have  failed 
to  do  so.  With  this  knowledge,  the  old  stock  of  breeders 
can  be  much  more  intelligently  culled. 

Stud  mating. — AMien  it  is  desired  to  breed  the  females  of 
a  flock  to  two  or  more  males,  and  where  separate  pens  are 
not  available  for  this  purpose,  stud  mating  is  sometimes 
resorted  to.  Stud  mating  refers  to  the  practice  of  keeping 
the  males  used  in  separate  quarters  or  coops  and  bringing 
to  them  the  females  with  which  they  are  to  be  mated  as  they 
lay.  Consequently  trapnesting  is  a  necessary  part  of  stud 
mating.  If  a  hen  is  mated  after  each  second  egg  she  lays, 
the  fertility  will  be  equally  as  good  and  may  be  better  than 
if  the  male  ran  with  the  flock.  See  Fig.  18.  In  fact,  a 
mating  after  every  third  egg  laid  seems  to  give  satisfactory 
results.  The  hen  need  be  left  with  the  male  only  long 
enough  for  copulation  to  take  place,  but  since  it  is  usually 
not  expedient  to  wait  around  and  assure  one's  self  that  this 
has  occurred,  leaving  the  hen  with  the  male  for  a  half  hour 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING  47 

IS  adequate.  Stud  mating  requires  more  work  than  ordinary 
mating.  Its  advantage  lies  in  the  ability  to  mate  the  different 
females  of  a  flock  with  different  males,  while  allowing  the 
hens  to  remain  together  and  be  cared  for  as  a  single  flock. 
It  also  insures  better  fertility  where  it  is  desired  to  breed 
only  a  few  females  from  a  large  flock  than  would  be  obtained 
if  a  single  male  Avere  allowed  to  run  with  the  hens.  Where 
a  flock  is  too  large  to  be  taken  care  of  by  a  single  male,  and 
where  two  males  cannot  be  used  at  one  time  or  alternated 
because  definite  pedigrees  are  desired  of  the  chicks,  it  is 
also  useful. 

Alternating  males. — With  flocks  too  large  to  give  good 
fertility  with  a  single  male,  two  or  more  males  are  often 
used.  They  can  be  allowed  to  run  with  the  flock  at  one  time, 
but  in  this  case  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  strongest  male 
to  dominate  the  others  and  to  do  most  if  not  all  the  breed- 
ing. Better  results  are  obtained  where  the  different  males 
used  are  alternated.  This  is  accomplished  by  allowing  one 
of  the  males  to  run  with  the  flock  in  the  morning  and  the 
other  in  the  afternoon,  or  else  upon  successive  days.  Many 
poultrymen  use  this  system  even  with  smaller  flocks,  believ- 
ing that  they  get  better  results  in  fertility  by  this  practice. 
The  disadvantage  of  such  a  system  is  that  it  is  obviously 
impossible  to  determine  which  male  is  the  sire  of  any  of 
the  offspring. 

Age  of  breeders. — Only  fully  matured  birds  should  be 
used  as  breeders.  Yearlings  or  older  hens .  make  better 
breeders  than  pullets  because  they  lay  larger  eggs  and  also 
because  they  have -had  a  period  of  rest  ducingthe  molt  pre- 
ceding the  breeding  season,  while  the  pullets,  if  they  have 
been  laying  all  the  fall  and  winter,  are  more  or  less  ex- 
hausted and  consequently  in  less  satisfactory  breeding 
condition. 

Well-matured  cockerels,  because  more  active,  give  better 
fertility  than  older  males.  To  secure  best  results  in  breed- 
ing it  is  well  to  use  cockerels  with  hens  and  comparatively 


48  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

young,  vigorous  cocks  with  pullets.  Sometimes  a  young,  un- 
developed cockerel  is  of  such  excellence  that  it  is  desirable 
to  breed  him.  By  placing  such  a  cockerel  with  a  couple  of 
hens  for  some  time  before  eggs  are  to  be  saved,  he  will  be 
developed  faster  than  if  kept  away  from  females.  The 
number  of  females  mated  to  an  undeveloped  cockerel  should 
be  small,  never  exceeding  three  or  four.  Where  cockerels 
are  run  together  and  separated  from  the  females,  it  is  usu- 
ally desirable  to  pick  out  the  most  promising  and  to  separate 
them  from  the  others,  either  by  placing  with  hens  or  by  re- 
turning them  to  the  pullet  range  so  as  to  give  them  a  good 
chance  to  develop  to  the  best  advantage. 

Size  of  mating. — The  size  of  mating  will  depend  upon  the 
breed,  the  conditions  under  which  the  birds  are  kept  and 
the  condition  and  vigor  of  the  birds  themselves.  One  male 
of  one  of  the  lighter  breeds,  such  as  the  Leghorn,  will  usu- 
ally give  good  results  with  about  15  females;  a  male  of  the 


Fig.  19.     A  good  range  means  well-grown  young  stock.      (Photograph  from 
the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 

general  purpose  breeds,  such  as  the  Plymouth  Rock,  with 
10  to  12  females,-  and  a  male  of  the  heaviest  breeds,  such  as 
the  Brahma,  with  8  to  10  females.  Where  the  male  is 
especially  strong,  vigorous  and  active;  and  where  the  fowls 


PRACTICES    OF    BREEDING  49 

are  given  free  range,  the  number  can  often  be  materially 
increased  with  success.  A  Plymouth  Rock  male  on  a  flock 
of  20  females  and  a  Leghorn  on  a  flock  of  30  to  40  females 
on  free  range  have  frequently  given  splendid  fertility. 

Breeding  condition. — Fowls  to  be  in  good  breeding  con- 
dition should  be  well  fed  and  be  in  good  flesh,  but  not  ex- 
cessively fat.  Thinness  or  overfatness  are  both  detrimental 
alike  to  egg  production  and  to  fertility. 

Early  hatching. — This  is  an  important  element  in  the 
successful  rearing  of  young  stock  of  good  quality.  Not  only 
do  the  chicks  hatched  early  live  and  grow  better,  but  early 
hatching  is  essential  if  young  stock  of  the  desired  size  and 
finish  are  desired  for  the  fall  and  early  winter  shows.  The 
hatching  should  be  done  in  February,  j\Iarch  and  April  and 
should  be  completed  by  the  first  or  at  latest  the  middle  of 
May.  Early  hatching  also  has  a  most  beneficial  effect  upon 
the  egg  production,  for  it  is  only  the  early  hatched  pullets 
which  mature  in  the  fall  in  time  to  start  laying  before  the 
cold  weather  sets  in.  and  are  in  consequence  the  profitable 
winter  layers. 

For  the  late  winter  shows,  later  hatching  is  an  advantage 
in  order  to  have  the  young  stock  at  the  very  height  of  condi- 
tion at  that  time.  It  is  also  true  that  late  hatched  birds  may 
sometimes  appear  to  be  better  colored,  due  to  the  fact  that 
their  mature  plumage  was  acquired  later  and  has  not  been 
subjected  to  much  intense  sunshine,  which  may  cause  fading. 

Free  range  vs.  confinement. — There  is  absolutely  no 
question  as  to  whether  or  not  free  range  is  preferable  for 
breeding  stock.  Not  only  will  the  fowls  so  allowed  to  range 
be  in  better  health  and  condition,  but  the  eggs  will  show 
better  fertility  and  will  be  larger  and  capable  of  hatching 
stronger  chicks.  If  it  is  not  possible  to  give  a  breeding  flock 
free  range,  they  should  be  given  as  roomy  a  run  as  possible 
and  should  be  regularly  and  plentifully  supplied  with  green 
feed,  such  as  kale,  cabbage,  beets,  clover,  alfalfa  or 
sprouted  oats. 


50 


THE   MATING  AND   BREEDING   OF   POULTRY 


PRACTICES   OF    BREEDING  51 

Good  management. — Good  management  and  good  breed- 
ing are  so  closely  dependent  that  without  both  the  best  re- 
sults are  impossible  of  attainment.  The  young  stock  must 
be  carefully  and  plentifully  fed,  well  grown  and  kept  free 
from  lice  and  mites.  If  this  is  not  done,  birds  of  the  desired 
size  and  of  the  desired  finish  and  condition  will  not  be 
obtained.  Insufficient  feeding  and  poor  or  irregular  growth 
are  frequently  responsible  for  certain  defects,  not  only  of 
feather  growth,  but  also  of  color. 

Culling. — The  young  stock  must  be  severely  and  cour- 
ageously   culled.      A    successful    culler    and    a    successful 


Fig.   21.     A  supply  of  dry  mash   where  the  young  stock  can  help   them- 
selves   promotes    rapid,    even    grrowth.      (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of 
Animal  Industry,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.; 

breeder  are  almost  synonymous  terms.  The  breeder  must 
recognize  what  he  wants  in  his  young  stock  and  must  have 
the  courage  of  his  convictions  to  cull  out  those  birds  which 
do  not  meet  his.  requirements,  and  which,  while  admirable  in 
some  respects,  have  serious  defects  or  disqualifications 
which  are  bound  to  prove  troublesome  if  the  bird  is  retained 
and  bred.  Continuous  culling  throughout  the  season  will 
gradually  eliminate  the  young  stock  of  poorer  quality  and 
will  make  room  and  give  the  better  specimens  a  better  chance 
to  grow  and  develop. 

The  experienced  poultryman  will  also  cull  his  entire  flock 
the  year  round.    Whenever  he  sees  a  bird  which  is  going  to 


52 


THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


pieces  or  which  is  badly  out  of  condition  or  sick,  he  will  cull 
it,  and  thereby  not  only  get  rid  of  unprofitable  birds,  but 
reduce  to  a  minimum  the  chance  for  disease  to  spread 
through  the  flock.  In  addition,  most  breeders  cull  out  those 
birds  which  they  no  longer  wish  to  carry  as  breeders  after 
they  have  stopped  laying  in  the  summer  or  fall. 

Trimming  heavy  feathered  fowls. — Where  fowls  are 
extremely  heavily  feathered,  like  the  Cochins  and  some 
Wyandottes,  the  profusion  of  feathers  about  the  vent  and 
tail  frequently  interferes  with  successful  copulation,  with 

the  result  that 
the  fertility  of 
the  eggs  is  poor. 
To  remedy  this 
condition,  cut  or 
trim  the  feath- 
ers away  about 
the  vent  and 
also  a  little  off 
the  main  tail 
feathers  of  both 
sexes  just  before 
the  breeding 
season.  Often 
this-  will  ■  result 
in  much  better 
fertility. 

Combination 
of  utility  and 
q  u  a  li  t  y. —  A 
great  amount  of  discussion  has  arisen  over  the  question  of 
utility  vs.  standard  bred  poultry.  There  seems  to  exist  a 
fairly  wide  opinion  that  if  a  breeder  is  working  for  utility  he 
cannot  have  birds  of  good  quality,  while  if  he  is  working  for 
quality  his  birds  must  of  necessity  be  poor  utility  fowls. 
There  is  no  good  foundation  for  such  an  opinion.  Many  hens 


Fig.  22.  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  cockerel  out  of 
hen  408,  who  is  shown  with  her  record  in  Fig.  24. 
The  sire  of  the  .cockerel  was  also  out  qf  .a  hen .  which 
laid  202  eggs  in  her  pullet  year.  (Photograph  from 
the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  De- 
partment of   Agriculture.) 


PRACTICES  OF  r.REEDIXG  53 

of  excellent  quality  have  been  decidedly  superior  egg  pro- 
ducers, while  the  standard  shape  requirements  for  the  differ- 
ent breeds  insure  good  table  type.  Admittedly  it  is  harder  to 
secure  fowls  showing  a  combination  of  excellent  quality  and 
excellent  producing  ability  than  to  secure  either  one  alone, 
just  as  it  is  always  harder  to  select  successfully  for  two  char- 
acters than  for  one,  but  that  such  a  combination  does  fre- 
quently exist  and  can  be  obtained  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
It  is  being  done  by  breeders  and  the  authors  themselves  have 
succeeded  in  securing  this  result  in  their  breeding  work  at 
the  Government  Poultry  Farm,  Beltsville,  Maryland.  It  is 
equally  true  that  for  the  breeder  who  can  secure  such  a 
combination  of  show  quality  and  high  egg  production  there 
is  a  broader  field  than  for  breeders  who  specialize  on  one 
Ime  alone,  and  just  so  surely  as  it  requires  greater  pains  and 
superior  ability  to  secure  this  result,  just  so  surely  will  the 
demand  for  his  stock  and  his  financial  reward  be  greater. 


CHAPTER  III 

BREEDING  FOR  INCREASED  EGG  PRODUCTION 

Importance  of  vigor  and  health. — Egg  production,  and 
in  particular  heavy  egg  production,  is  a  severe  strain  upon  a 
hen  or  pullet.  Any  individual,  therefore,  which  is  lacking 
in  health,  strength  or  vigor  is  unable  to  stand  up  under  this 
strain  and  is  in  consequence  unable  or  extremely  unlikely  to 
make  big  records.  For  this  reason  it  Is  especially  important 
that  the  breeding  stock  be  very  strong,  healthy  and  vigorous 
if  their  offspring  are  to  show  these  same  qualities  and  be  so 
constituted  that  they  can  bear  the  strain  of  heavy  Qgg  pro- 
duction, provided  they  have  the  inherent  ability.  Therefore, 
in  selecting  breeding  stock  with  the  idea  of  improving  the 
average  egg  production  of  a  flock,  it  is  of  primarv  impor- 
tance to  be  sure  that  the  breeding  stock  shows  strong  consti- 
tutional vigor  and  that  they  are  in  the  best  of  health. 
Strength,  constitutional  vigor  and  health  are  usually  indi- 
cated by  certain  characteristics  of  fowls.  Fowls  having 
these  charcteristics  should  be  active,  alert  and  spirited ;  the 
males  in  particular  should  have  a  fearless  appearance,  the 
eye  should  be  bright  and  fairly  prominent  and  the  birds 
should  stand  strongly  on  their  legs.  They  should  have  bone 
of  good  size  and  strength  for  their  breed  and  should  show 
by  the  bright  red  color  of  head  parts  and  by  the  smooth, 
well-kept  condition  of  their  plumage  that  they  are  in  the  best 
of  health.  Avoid  birds  which  are  listless  and  inactive,  are 
weak  on  their  legs,  have  dull  eyes,  long  or  snaky  heads  and 
sunken  eyes. 

In  breeding  for  improvement  in  egg  production  it  fre- 
quently happens  that  in  order  to  get  ancestry  on  both  sides 
which  has  high  production  back  of  it,  the  fowls  are  rather 
closely  inbred.    While  it  may  at  times  be  necessary  or  desir- 

54 


BREEDING    FOR    INCREASED    EGG    TRODUCTION 


55 


able  to  make  such  inbred  matlngs,  it  is  best  not  to  continue 
this  practice  too  long  without  introduction  of  blood  less 
closely  related.  It  seem  to  be  fairly  well  established  that 
the  crossing  of  two  breeds  or  varieties  tends  to  result  in 
improving  the  vigor  of  the  ofifspring,  and  this  same  result 
is  usually  apparent  also  when  fowls  of  the  same  breed  or 
variety,  but  of  distinct  and  unrelated  strains,  are  mated 
together. 

Prof  essor 
James  Dry  den 
of  the  Oregon 
experiment  sta- 
tion, in  his  work 
in  breeding  for 
increased  Ggg 
production,  has 
found  that  the 
increased  vigor 
obtained  by  us- 
ing unrelated 
blood  adds  very 
materially  to  the 
result  in  G^gg 
production  sim- 
ply from  this 
cause  alone.  In 
his  work,  how- 
ever, he  has  not 
been  contented 
to  stop  with  the 
improvement  so 
obtained,  but 
has  followed  up  this  increased  vigor  by  careful  selection  of 
individuals  according  to  their  performance  and  breeding 
qualities,  and  has  been  able  to  improve  egg  production  to  a 
considerably  greater  degree  than  resulted  from  the  increased 


Fig'.  23.  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  cockerel  out  of 
hen  2033.  This  hen  laid  230  eggs  from  November  i 
to  November  1  of  her  pullet  year,  and  260  eggs  be- 
fore she  stopped  laying.  Eight  of  her  sisters  and 
half-sisters  produced  as  follows  in  their  pullet  year: 
180,  187,  195,  196,  198,  208,  235  and  240  eggs.  The 
fire  of  this  cockerel  is  a  son  of  hen  514,  which  laid 
213  eggs  in  her  pullet  year  and  536  eggs  in  three 
years.  The  grandsire  on  the  sire's  side  is  a  son  of 
hen  408,  who  is  showTi  with  her  record  in  Fig.  24. 
(Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry, 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


56  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

vigor  alone.  While  in  some  of  his  work  he  has  crossed 
breeds  with  good  results  so  far  as  the  egg  production  of  the 
offspring  is  concerned,  he  also  states  that  it  is  unnecessary 
to  cross  breeds,  as  he  can  secure  the  same  results  by  crossing 
unrelated  strains  within  a  breed  or  variety  and  by  the  proper 
selection  of  individuals  in  succeeding  matings. 

How  high  egg  producing  ability  is  inherited. — There 
has  been  a  considerable  difference  of  opinion  as  to  how  high 
egg  production  is  inherited.  It  was  the  commonly  held 
belief  that  this  quality  of  high  production  might  be  inherited 
either  from  the  male  or  female  parent,  or  from  both. 
Later,  however,  Dr.  Pearl,  as  the  result  of  his  work  at  the 
Maine  experiment  station,  concluded  that  one  of  the  factors 
which  are  responsible  for  high  egg  production  is  inherited 
from  generation  to  generation  in  accordance  with  Mendel's 
law,  and  he  further  concluded  that  this  particular  factor  was 
sex  limited,  or,  in  other  words,  that  it  could  not  be  inherited 
directly  by  pullets  from  their  dams,  but  could  be  inherited 
by  them  from  their  sire  only,  who  in  turn  might  get  it  either 
from  his  dam  or  his  sire.  Other  investigators  working  along 
the  same  lines  do  not  agree  with  Dr.  Pearl's  conclusions, 
feeling  that  their  results  show  that  to  some  extent,  at  any 
rate,  high  egg  production  can  be  inherited  directly  from  the 
dam  as  well  as  from  the  sire.  It  must  be  remembered  also 
that  even  if  Dr.  Pearl's  conclusions  are  correct,  and  if  it  is 
necessary  for  pullets  to  inherit  the  ability  to  be  high  pro- 
ducers from  their  sire  and  not  directly  from  their  dam.  it 
does  not  follow  that  the  egg  producing  ability  of  hens  should 
be  disregarded  in  breeding,  since  cockerels  may  inherit  this 
quality  from  their  dams  as  well  as  their  sires,  and  it  is  only 
the  cockerels  which  inherit  this  quality  from  both  sides  that 
are  of  the  highest  prepotency  in  transmitting  it  in  turn  to 
their  daughters. 

In  general,  the  problem  of  breeding  for  improved  egg 
production  is  a  very  complex  and  difficult  one,  but  it  may  be 
reduced  in  its  simplest  terms  to  the  proposition  of  breeding 


BREEDING    FOR    INCREASED    EGG    PRODUCTION  57 

from  the  higher  producers  in  the  flock  and  discarding  as 
breeders  the  lower  producers.  It  does  not  appear,  in  the 
opinion  of  those  who  have  had  experience  along  this  line, 
to  be  necessarily  good  policy  to  breed  from  the  very  highest 
producers  or  most  outstanding  individuals  in  this  particular, 
but  rather  to  breed  from  individuals  whose  production  is 
high  but  does  not  run  to  the  extreme.  It  is  recognized  to  be 
more  or  less  of  a  general  truth  that  individuals  which  are 
well  above  the  average  in  any  particular  quality,  but  are  not 
the  outstanding  extremes,  are  more  likely  to  transmit  their 
good  qualities  to  their  offspring  than  are  the  extreme 
individuals. 

In  attacking  the  problem  of  what  may  be  done  in  the  way 
of  breeding  for  improved  egg  production,  it  is  necessary  to 
consider  the  various  conditions  under  which  poultry  are 
kept  and  to  consider  from  this  what  may  be  the  practical 
steps  to  take  under  existing  conditions. 

Breeding  from  an  untrapped  flock. — Flocks  of  poultry 
kept  for  Qgg  production  are  in  the  main  cared  for  without 
any  detailed  records  being  kept.  Usually  there  will  be  no 
records  available  of  the  Ggg  production  of  the  different  pens 
and  in  many  cases  even  of  the  flocks  as  a  whole.  Under 
these  conditions,  of  course,  the  hens  are  not  trapnested  and 
no  information  is  available  as  to  the  individual  breeding  of 
any  of  the  birds,  either  males  or  females.  All  that  can  be 
done,  therefore,  is  to  select  from  the  general  flock  as  intelli- 
gently as  possible  the  best  individuals  to  be  used  as  breeders. 

First  of  all,  in  this  case  the  birds  must  be  selected  which 
show  every  evidence  of  being  strong  and  healthy  and  which 
are  possessed  of  good  constitutional  vigor  so  far  as  this  can 
be  determined  from  external  indications.  It  is  also  neces- 
sary that  the  birds  have  a  shape  of  body  that  is  of  sufficient 
length,  breadth  and  depth  so  that  there  is  plenty  of  room  for 
a  good  development,  both  of  the  digestive  organs  and  the 
egg  producing  organs,  or,  in  other  words,  that  have  good 
capacity.     Fortimately  also,  there  are  certain  external  char- 


58 


THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


acters  which  form  fairly  reliable  guides  in  picking  out  the 
better  producers  from  a  flock.  The  best  time  of  the  year  to 
make  such  a  selection  is  in  the  late  summer  or  during  the 
fall,  October  or  November  usually  being  most  satisfactory. 
It  will  be  found  that  birds  which  at  this  time  of  the  year  are 
still  laying  are  the  birds  which  in  the  main  have  been  the 
better  producers  of  the  flock  for  the  entire  year.  This 
applies  most  satisfactorily  to  hens  at  t-he  end  of  their  first  or 
pullet  laying  year. 

Selecting  good  layers  from  the  untrapped  flock. — Indi- 
cations of  good  laying  ability  or  of  a  good  yearly  egg  pro- 

d  u  c  t  i  o  n  are 
those  things 
which  show  that 
a  hen  is  still  lay- 
ing at  this  time 
of  year :  First  is 
the  f  a  i  1  ure  to 
molt  until  late 
in  the  fall.  Hens 
or  pullets  which 
do  not  molt  until 
that  time  are, 
other  things 
being  equal,  still 
producing  eggs, 
and  will  usttally 
prove  to  have 
been  the  best 
producers 
throughout  the 
entire  year.  The 
condition  of  the 
molt  is  one  of  the  outstanding  characteristics  in  determining 
egg  producing  ability.  With  pullets  it  may  be  said  in  the 
vast  majority  of  cases  that  those  which  molt  before  the  first 


Fig.  24.  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  hen  No.  408. 
This  hen  laid  214  eggs  in  her  pullet  year  and  654 
eggs    in    4    years.     (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of 


Animal     Industry, 


United      States 
Agriculture.) 


Department     of 


BREEDING    FOR    INCREASED    EGG    PRODUCTION  59 

of  August  are  the  poorest  layers  and  should  be  culled  from 
the  flock.  Those  which  begin  their  molt  between  the  first  of 
August  and  September  1  should  likewise  be  culled,  but  are 
ordinarily  not  as  poor  layers  as  those  molting  before  this 
period.  Pullets  which  begin  to  molt  during  the  month  of 
September,  other  things  being  equal,  should  be  retained  as 
fairly  good  layers,  while  those  which  do  not  molt  until  after 
October  1  may  be  considered  as  the  best  producers  in 
the  flock. 

While  this  distinction  is  not  nearly  as  clear  with  hens,  at 
the  same  time  it  applies  in  a  general  way,  except  that  hens 
usually  molt  earlier  than  pullets.  Comparatively  few  hens 
molt  as  late  in  the  fall  as  do  the  best  laying  pullets. 

The  second  is  the  condition  of  the  comb.  When  a  hen  is 
laying  or  about  to  lay.  her  comb  is  large,  full  of  blood  and 
bright  red  in  color.  When  not  laying,  the  comb  is  small  and 
shrunken,  pale  or  dull  in  color,  comparatively  hard  and 
covered  with  whitish  scales.  A  dark  or  bluish  color  usually 
indicates  sickness.  Changes  in  the  wattles  and  ear  lobes  are 
similar  to  those  of  the  comb,  but  not  so  marked. 

The  third  is  the  spread  of  the  pelvic  bones.  As  a  hen 
stops  laying,  the  pelvic  bones,  that  is,  the  two  bones  which 
can  be  felt  as  points  on  either  side  of  the  vent,  approach 
closer  together  than  they  are  when  she  is  in  full  lay.  In  all 
probability  if  the  spread  of  these  two  pelvic  bones  is  two 
fingers  or  less  she  is  not  laying,  while  if  the  spread  is  greater 
than  this  she  is  probably  laying.  Of  course,  in  measuring 
this  spread,  the  relative  size  of  the  hens  of  different  breeds 
with  the  corresponding  natural  difference  in  the  spread  must 
be  kept  in  mind. 

The  fourth  is  the  distance  from  pelvic  bones  to  keel.  As 
the  hen  stops  laying  there  is  also  a  decided  tendency  for  the 
distance  from  the  pelvic  bones  to  the  rear  end  of  the  keel  to 
decrease,  due  to  the  fact  that  both  egg  organs  and  intestines 
are  smaller  and  require  less  room.  A  spread  between  these 
two  points  which  measures  three  or  more  fingers   in   the 


60  THE    MATIXG    AXD    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 

smaller  breeds  and  four  or  more  fingers  in  the  larger  breeds 
usually  indicates  that  the  hen  is  in  a  laying  condition,  while 
a  spread  of  less  than  this  indicates  that  she  is  not  in  a  laying 
condition. 

The  fifth  is  the  flexibility  of  abdomen.  When  the  hen  is 
laying,  the  greater  size  of  the  abdomen,  which  is  associated 
with  a  greater  spread  from  pelvic  bones  to  keel,  and  the 
lessened  tendency  to  accumulate  fat  in  the  abdomen  results 
in  a  softer  and  more  flexbile  abdomen  than  is  the  case  with 
a  hen  which  is  not  in  a  laying  condition.  The  abdomen  of  a 
laying  hen  suggests  when  handled  the  texture  of  a  partly 
milked  out  udder  of  a  cow,  while  that  of  the  hen  which  has 
ceased  laying  feels  harder,  more  compact  and  less  flexible. 

The  sixth  is  the  appearance  of  the  vent.  The  vent  of  a 
hen  which  is  laying  heavily  is  large,  expanded  and  moist, 
while  that  of  a  hen  not  laying  is  comparatively  small,  hard, 
puckered  and  dry. 

Seventh,  shank  and  skin  color.  In  breeds  which  have 
yellow  skin  and  yellow  legs  there  is  a  decided  tendency  for 
this  color  to  be  lost  or  to  fade  out  as  the  hen  lays.  The 
rapidity  and  degree  to  which  the  yellow  color  is  lost  depends 
to  a  considerable  extent  upon  the  heaviness  of  laying. 
However,  hens  which  show  strong  or  medium  yellow  shank 
color  in  the  fall  are  almost  certainly  poor  layers,  while  those 
which  show  a  bleached  or  white  color  of  leg  may  be  good 
layers,  athough  not  necessarily  so.  Hens  which  are  kept  on 
grass  range  do  not  lose  the  shank  color  as  quickly  or  com- 
pletely as  those  kept  in  yards,  while  some  soils  tend  to  bleach 
the  color  of  the  legs  and  may  cause  even  poor  layers  to 
have  white  legs.  ^Moreover,  a  sick  hen,  or  one  in  poor  con- 
dition, may  show  pale  shanks. 

As  is  the  case  with  the  shanks,  so  the  beak  loses  its  yellow 
color  as  the  laying  progresses.  The  beak  color,  however,  is 
lost  more  quickly  than  the  shank  color  and  is  also  regained 
more  quickly  after  the  molt.  The  .shank  color  is  therefore 
a  better  indication  of  egg  production  over  a  long  period.     In 


BREEDING    FOR    INCREASED    EGG    PRODUCTION  Di 

the  case  of  yellow  skinned  breeds,  the  skin  immediately 
around  the  vent  loses  its  yellow  color  very  ctuickly  with  lay- 
ing and  regains  it  quickly  after  laying  ceases.  A  white  or 
pink  vent  color,  therefore,  generally  indicates  that  the  hen 
is  laying,  while  a  yellow  vent  color  indicates  that  the  bird 
is  not  laying.  In  forming  an  opinion  in  the  fall  as  to 
whether  or  not  a  hen  is  laying,  and  consequently  in  judging 
whether  or  not  she  has  been  a  good  layer  for  the  entire  year, 
it  is  best  not  to  depend  upon  any  one  of  these  indications 
alone,  but  to  consider  all  of  them  to  see  whether  a  majority 
does  not  agree  in  indicating  laying  condition  and  good  pro- 
duction. It  is  necessary  also  to  guard  against  the  selection 
of  occasional  hens  which  may  be  laying  at  the  time  but  have 
not  laid  heavily.  The  condition  of  the  plumage  will  indi- 
cate a  hen  which  has  molted  and  resumed  laying,  while  the 
shank  color  will  usually  serve  to  detect  a  poor  layer.  By 
selection  on  this  basis  not  all  good  producers  will  be  in- 
cluded, nor  will  all  medium  producers  be  thrown  out,  but 
those  selected  will  nearly  all  be  good  producers  and  prac- 
tically no  poor  producers  will  be  included. 

\Miere  no  records  are  kept,  therefore,  of  individual  per- 
formance or  even  of  flock  performance,  it  is  possible  by 
means  of  the  principles  indicated  above  to  select  from  the 
flock  the  strongest,  healthiest  and  most  vigorous  females 
with  a  body  so  shaped  as  to  give  them  plenty  of  room  for 
the  vital  processes  necessary  to  heavy  egg  production,  which 
are  within  reasonable  limits  of  certainty  the  best  layers  in 
the  entire  flock.  These  females  should  be  separated  from 
the  rest  of  the  flock  and  mated  to  a  good,  strong,  vigorous 
male,  out  of  a  hen,  if  possible,  which  is  known  to  be  a  good 
producer.  The  continued  process  of  the  careful  selection 
of  breeders  along  these  lines,  together  with  the  use  of  males 
from  the  selected  flock,  will  result  in  breeding  from  the 
higher  producers  in  the  flock,  and  should  give  an  improve- 
ment in  the  egg  production. 

Testing  the   offspring. — Where  more  than  one  pen   of 


62  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

breeders  is  used,  it  is  very  desirable  to  toe  punch  or  other- 
wise mark  the  chicks  from  the  different  matings  so  that  it 
will  be  possible  to  identify  the  mating  from  which  they 
came.  As  the  pullets  from  these  various  matings  are  put  in 
the  laying  pens  in  the  fall  it  is  well  to  separate  them  so  that 
the  pullets  from  the  different  matings  are  placed  by  them- 
selves. By  the  simple  process  of  keeping  a  record  of  the 
egg  production  of  the  pens  it  is  then  possible  to  tell  which 
of  the  matings  is  giving  best  results  so  far  as  the  egg  produc- 
tion of  the  pullets  from  them  is  concerned.  Needless  to  say, 
if  it  is  discovered  that  the  results  from  any  particular  mating 
are  outstandingly  better  than  those  from  any  other  mating, 
this  same  mating  should  be  put  together  the  following  year 
and  for  as  many  years  as  the  birds  are  in  vigorous  breeding 
condition  and  the  greatest  possible  number  of  chicks  pro- 
duced from  them.  Such  other  breeding  stock  as  it  is  neces- 
sary to  use  should  also  be  from  the  original  pen  or  pens 
from  which  exceptionally  good  results  were  obtained. 

Breeding  from  pen  pedigreed  flocks. — Where  the  fowls 
are  kept  in  separate  pens  so  that  different  pen  records  of 
e^g  production  are  available,  the  females  for  the  matings  in 
breeding  for  improved  egg  production  should  be  selected  on 
the  same  basis  as  stated  above,  since  there  is  no  surer  way 
of  determining  which  are  the  highest  producers,  as  indi- 
vidual records  as  the  result  of  the  use  of  trapnests  are  not 
available. 

Where  pen  records  are  kept,  and  particularly  where  the 
breeding  pens  are  small  enough  so  that  only  a  single  male  is 
mated  to  the  hens  in  the  pen,  it  becomes  possible  by  toe 
marking  or  otherwise  to  identify  the  chicks  in  so  far  as  the 
identity  of  their  sire  is  concerned.  This  makes  it  possible 
to  secure  a  good  line  on  the  breeding  ability  of  the  different 
males  used  in  the  breeding  pens  by  proceeding  as  indicated 
above,  and  to  pen  the  offspring  from  the  different  pens 
separately  and  to  keep  a  pen  record  of  the  different  lots  so 
as  to  test  the  breeding  value  of  the  sires. 


BREEDING    FOR    INCREASED    EGG    PRODUCTION 


63 


Needless  to  say,  any  male  which  may  be  discovered  to  be 
a  particularly  prepotent  individual  with  respect  to  the  char- 
acteristic of  high  egg  production  should  be  preserved  and 
mated  as  long  as  he  is  in  good  breeding  condition  and  his 
blood  should  be  spread  through  the  flock  as  widely  as  pos- 
sible. This  makes  it  necessary  to  hold  the  males  used  in 
breeding  until  their  daughters  have  been  tested  for  egg 
laying  ability. 

Breeding 
from  trapnested 
stock.  —  Where 
fowls  are  trap- 
nested,  it  is  pos- 
sible to  engage 
in  a  much  more 
elaborate  series 
of  breeding 
operations,  with 
the  idea  in  view 
o  f  improving 
the  egg  produc- 
tion. It  must  be 
stated,  however, 
that  trapnesting 
is  a  rather  la- 
borious process 
and  will  usually 
be  found  to  be 
too  expensive 
for  the  average 
person  to  attempt  to  follow.  At  the  same  time  it  must  be 
recognized  that  the  interest  in  breeding  for  improved  egg 
production  is  keen  at  the  present  time,  and  that  the  demand 
for  stock  from  high  producing  lines  is  good  and  will  probably 
be  better  in  the  future.  It  is  likely,  therefore,  that  it  will  pay 
many  producers  to  go  to  the  extra  labor  and  expense  of  trap 


Fig.  25,  White  Plymouth  Rock  hen  710.  This  hen 
•w-as  not  trapped  until  Januai-y  26  of  her  pullet  year. 
From  this  time  on  she  laid  176  eggs,  84  eggs  being 
laid  in  92  consecutive  days  and  109  in  122  consecutive 
days.  (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  In- 
dustry,   United    States    Department    of    Agriculture.) 


64 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 


ping  their  birds  in  order  to  be  able  to  supply  this  demand  for 
breeding  stock  out  of  known  high  producing  individuals. 
Since  there  is  no  practical  means  which  have  yet  been 
devised  of  certifying  to  or  absolutely  authenticating  the 
records  obtained  by  breeders  in  their  own  yards,  it  is  a  fore- 
gone conclusion  that  the  integrity  and  reputation  of  a 
breeder  must  be  of  the  best  if  he  is  to  succeed  in  this  busi- 
ness of  producing  high  record  breeding  stock  for  sale.  It 
is  also  possible,  as  will  be  explained  later,  for  the  breeder  to 
trapnest  to  some  extent  and  to  be  able  to  supply  for  his  own 
needs,  at  any  rate,  birds  from  known  high  producers  for  his 
breeding  operations. 


Fig.    26.     Trap   rest    in    use.     (Photoprraph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal 
Industry,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 

Where  the  fowls  are  trapnested,  it  is  necessary,  if  the 
breeding  is  to  be  carried  on  v;ith  individuals  whose  ancestry 
is  definitely  known  on  both  sides,  that  the  chicks  should  be 
pedigreed.  For  directions  as  to  pedigreeing  see  page  40. 
The  pedigree  hatching  and  rearing  of  the  chicks  makes  it 
possible,  therefore,  to  have  on  hand  a  number  of  fowls 
which  can  be  used  in  the  future  breeding  operations  with 
absolute  certainty  as  to  the  performance  of  their  ancestors 
with  respect  to  egg  production,  both  on  the  male  and  female 
sides. 


BREEDING    FOR    INCREASED    EGG    PRODUCTION  65 

The  detail  of  the  matings  which  should  be  made  is  a 
matter  which  must  depend  very  largely  upon  the  judgment 
of  the  breeder  himself.  He  must,  however,  keep  in  mind 
that  all  of  the  birds  bred  must  be  strong  and  healthy  and 
must  possess  in  so  far  as  he  can  determine  vigor  to  an 
unusual  degree.  The  breeder  must  never  allow  mere  high 
egg  production  in  the  ancestry  to  overbalance  his  good  judg- 
ment and  allow  him  to  succumb  to  the  temptation  of  using 
a  bird  of  relatively  low  vitality  and  vigor. 

The  usual  method  of  mating  has  for  its  purpose  the  com- 
bining in  the  pedigree  of  the  offspring  blood  of  high  pro- 
ducing strains,  both  on  the  male  and  female  sides.  Again, 
however,  it  is  necessary  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  too 
close  and  too  long  continued  inbreeding  must  be  avoided. 
\Miile  it  does  not  necessarilv  follow  that  the  sons  of  hiHi 
producing  hens  will  prove  to  be  breeders  whose  daughters 
will  all  be  good  producers,  it  is  certainly  true  that  the 
daughters  of  males  whose  mothers  were  high  producers 
have  a  much  better  chance  of  becoming  in  turn  high  pro- 
ducers than  do  those  out  of  a  male  whose  mother  was  a  poor 
producer.  As  the  pullets  from  the  different  matings  mature 
and  are  put  in  the  pens  and  trapnestcd,  it  becomes  possible 
to  check  up  their  performance  and  to  determine  what  indi- 
viduals, either  male  or  female,  have  been  prepotent  breeders 
with  respect  to  the  egg  production  of  their  daughters. 
Needless  to  say,  if  any  indiviudals  are  discovered  which 
show  marked  prepotency  in  this  respect,  they  should  be  re- 
tained in  the  flock  and  bred  just  so  long  as  they  are  useful. 
It  is  also,  of  course,  common  sense  to  use  the  sons  of  such 
prepotent  individuals  in  other  matings  so  as  to  test  out  their 
prepotency  in  turn.  If  prepotent  individuals  are  discovered 
of  each  sex,  it  is  by  all  means  desirable  to  mate  these  to- 
gether, keeping  in  mind  all  the  time  that  too  close  and  long 
continued  inbreeding  had  best  be  avoided. 

Dr.  Raymond  Pearl,  as  a  result  of  his  experimental  work 
at  the  Maine  experiment  station,  outlines  the  following  plan 


66  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

for  the  practical  breeder   who  is  trapnesting  his  birds  to 
follow  in  breeding  for  increased  egg  production  :'^ 

1.  ''Selection  of  all  breeding  birds  first  on  the  basis  of 
constitutional  vigor  and  vitality." 

2.  "The  use  as  breeders  of  such  females  only  as  have 
shown  themselves  by  trapnest  records  to  be  high  producers." 

3.  "The  use  as  breeders  of  such  males  only  as  are  known 
to  be  the  sons  of  high  producing  dams." 

4.  "The  use  of  a  pedigree  system  whereby  it  will  be  pos- 
sible at  least  to  tell  what  individual  male  bird  was  the  sire 
of  any  particular  female.  This  amounts  to  a  pen  pedigree 
system  which  can  be  operated  by  the  use  of  a  toe  punch." 

5.  "The  making  at  first  of  as  many  different  matings  as 
possible.  This  means  the  use  of  as  many  different  male 
birds  as  possible,  which  will  further  imply  small  matings 
with  only  comparatively  few  females  to  a  single  male." 

6.  "Continued,  though  not  too  narrow,  inbreeding  or  line 
breeding  of  those  lines  in  which  the  trapnest  records  show  a 
preponderant  number  of  daughters  to  be  high  producers. 
One  should  not  discard  all  but  the  single  best  line,  but  should 
keep  a  half  dozen  at  least  of  the  lines  which  throw  the  high- 
est proportions  of  high  lavers,  breeding  each  line  within 
itself." 

Because  trapnesting,  if  done  for  a  large  flock,  is  not  only 
a  laborious,  but  an  expensive  process,  relatively  few  breed- 
ers find  it  practical  for  them  to  attempt  to  trapnest  all  their 
birds.  It  is,  however,  possible  to  combine  the  system  of 
breeding  so  that  they  will  have  the  advantages  of  some  trap- 
nested  stock,  and  will  be  able  to  check  the  results  in  the 
offspring  by  keeping  pen  records.  For  example,  it  is  pos- 
sible to  trapnest  two  or  three  pens  of  pullets,  and  when 
high  producing  individuals  are  discovered  among  these  birds 
they  can  be  used  for  breeding,  the  chicks  from  them  can  be 
pedigreed,  the  young  males  in  turn  being  used  on  other 
breeding  pens,  and  the  pullets  placed  in  the  trapnest  pens  for 
*Maine  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  Bulletin  No.  231 


BREEDING    FOR    INCREASED    EGG    PRODUCTION 


67 


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68  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

testing.  Then,  by  housing  or  penning  together  the  pullets 
from  these  different  males,  which  are  used  on  non-trap- 
nested  stock,  a  pen  record  of  egg  production  can  be  kept  and 
these  males  tested  with  respect  to  their  prepotency.  In  this 
way  breeding  stock  is  secured  from  high  producing  lines 
without  going  to  the  expense  of  trapping  the  whole  flock  or 
keeping  individual  pedigree  records  of  all  the  chicks  hatched 
and  cockerels  from  high  producing  lines  are  available  for  use 
on  the  general  or  non-trapnested  pens. 

Period  of  trapping. — ^Vhere  the  sale  of  stock  from  record 
hens  is  contemplated,  it  will  be  necessary  to  trap  for  the 
entire  year,  as  the  demand  is  for  records  on  a  yearly  basis. 
Usually  the  pullet  year  record  is  the  highest  year's  record 
and  unless  it  is  desired  to  work  for  a  reputation  for  long 
distance  layers,  that  is,,  hens  which  keep  up  their  good  pro- 
duction for  several  years,  it  is  unnecessary  to  trap  beyond 
the  end  of  the  pullet  laying  year.  However,  it  is  usually 
good  policy  to  continue  to  trap  all  hens  which  produce  200 
eggs  or  better  in  their  pullet  year,  for  a  long  distance  record 
is  a  good  Sf^ling  point.  In  order  to  cut  down  the  number  of 
pullets  which  are  being  trapped,  it  is  usually  possible  by 
March  1  or  before  to  eliminate  a  large  proportion  which 
obviously  have  no  chance  to  make  a  good  record.  Dr.  Pearl 
in  his  work  considered  any  pullet  which  laid  30  eggs  or  more 
from  November  1  to  March  1  to  be  a  good  winter  layer 
and  a  profitable  and  likely  bird  to  keep.  In  general,  it  may 
be  said  that  a  pullet  which  lays  50  to  60  eggs  from  No- 
vember 1  to  Alarch  1  has  a  good  chance  to  make  a  record 
of  200  eggs  or  better. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  AMERICAN  CLASS 

The  Plymouth  Rock 

The  Plymouth  Rock  is  a  good  sized,  upstanding  fowl,  with 
body  of  good  length,  good  breadth  and  depth.  There  is  a 
considerable  tendency  for  individuals  of  both  sexes  to  be  too 
small,  and  this  can  only  be 
corrected  by  selecting  fowls  of 
standard  weight  as  breeders. 
Birds  should  not,  on  the  other 
hand,  be  used  which  are  more 
than  one  or  two  pounds  over 
weight,  as  such  unusually 
large  birds  alniost  invariably 
get  away  from  good  Plymouth 
Rock  type. 

The  Plymouth  Rock  should 
not  be  stilty,  that  is,  too  long 
in  shank.  The  bird  wants  to 
stand  strongly  on  legs  set  well 
apart.  There  should  be  no 
tendency  to  a  knock-kneed 
condition,  but  this  is  by  no 
means  rare  and  is  quite 
troublesome.  See  Fig  28. 
The  breast  should  be  full  and 
well  rounded,  not  flat.  IMales 
are  particularly  likely  to  be 
lacking  in  breast.   See  Fig.  29. 

A   long  keel   is   desired  and   the   body   should  have   good 
width.      Birds    with   narrow   bodies   should  be   avoided   as 


Fig.       28.     A      knock-kneed       male. 

r  Photograph     from    the    Bureau     of 

Animal      Industry.      United      States 

Department  of  Agriculture.) 


69 


70 


THE    MATING    AND    EREEDIXG    OF    POULTRY 


breeders,  since  they  are  not  typical  Plymouth  Rocks.  A 
body  set  too  low  on  legs,  too  deep  from  back  to  hock,  or,  in 
other  words,  body  approaching  too  closely  the  Orpington 
in  type,  or  with  a  tendency  to  be  baggy,  should  be  avoided. 

The  comb  of 
the  male  should 
be  fairly  small, 
with  a  well- 
turned  blade  and 
five  points.  The 
comb  of  the 
male  follows  the 
curve  of  the 
head  in  general 
outline,  but  the 
blade  should  not 
follow  the  neck 
too  closely. 
While  five 
points  are  de- 
sired,  four 
points,  because 
of  the  relatively 
small  size  of  the 
comb,  are  not 
bad,  as  they 
tend  to  form  a 
s  y  m  m  e  t  r  ical 
comb.  In  some  cases,  a  six-point  comb  may  prove  to  be 
symmetrical  also.  It  is  better  to  use  a  male  with  a  four- 
point  comb  than  one  with  six  points,  especially  when  the 
females  to  which  he  is  to  be  bred  carry  combs  with  an  extra 
number  of  points.  The  comb  should  be  thick  at  the  base  and 
be  strongly  erect.  It  should  not  extend  too  far  forward 
over  the  upper  mandible  or  bill. 


Fig.  29.  A  stilty  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  male  with 
flat  breast.  ( Photoerrapn  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,   United   States   Department   of   Agriculture.) 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  71 

The  comb  of  the  female  should  be  small  and  erect,  like 
the  male  comb,  but  smaller.  A  comb  in  which  the  top  of  the 
points  form  a  nearly  straight  line,  or  is  a  little  rounded,  is 
cc-nsidered  good  in  shape.  The  combs  of  Plymouth  Rocks 
run  quite  good  and  are  not  generally  considered  very  trouble- 
some. The  following  are  some  of  the  more  common  faults : 
too  large,  too  many  points,  side  sprigs,  double  points  and 
thumb  marks,  wrinkles  or  corrugations. 

In  the  shape  of  head,  the  important  thing  is  to  see  that  the 
head  is  broad,  thick  and  of  good  length,  but  not  extremely 
long  and  snaky  or  crow-headed.  See  Fig.  8.  The  broad, 
deep,  full  skull  is  generally  considered  to  denote  stamina,  and 
crow-headedness  a  lack  of  it. 

The  eye  in  each  variety  should  be  full  of  life  and  fire. 
Light  or  green  eyes  must  be  avoided. 

The  ear  lobe  should,  of  course,  be  red  in  both  sexes.  The 
trouble  which  may  occur  here  is  the  appearance  of  white. 
Distinction  must  be  made  between  positive  white  and  the 
paleness,  which  may  be  due  to  lack  of  condition.  If  possible 
to  avoid  it,  do  not  breed  from  an  individual  showing  positive 
white,  but  the  white  which  borders  on  paleness  is  not  so 
serious.  It  must  be  remembered  also  that  white  or  paleness 
sometimes  develops  with  age.  This,  of  course,  is  not  as 
serious  as  where  it  occurs  in  young  birds,  and  in  consequence 
knowledge  as  to  the  color  of  the  ear  lobe  of  a  bird  while  it 
was  still  a  cockerel  or  pullet  is  valuable  when  mating. 

The  neck  of  both  sexes  should  be  well  arched.  In  the 
male  it  is  long  and  full,  with  abundant  hackle,  while  in  the 
female  it  is  of  medium  length. 

The  back  is  one  of  the  most  important  sections  of  this 
breed.  In  order  to  be  a  good  typical  Plymouth  Rock,  the 
back  must  be  nearly  flat  at  the  shoulders,  long  and  broad 
throughout.  As  nearly  as  possible,  the  same  breadth  which 
is  present  at  the  shoulders  should  be  carried  the  entire  length 
of  back  clear  to  the  base  of  the  tail.  There  should  be  no 
tendency  to  narrow  up  at  the  tail. 


72 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    CF    TOULTKY 


The  tail  is  also  important,  especially  so  because  of  its 
influence  upon  the  shape  of  the  back.  The  tail  in  both  sexes 
is  carried  moderately  low.  There  should  be  no  angle  be- 
tween the  back  and  tail,  but  these  sections  should  be  joined 
by  a  good  sweeping  curve,  the  back  and  tail  blending  in 
together.  It  is  of  vital  importance  that  the  tail  be  well 
spread.  By  this  is  meant  that  the  tail  shall  have  good  breadth 

when  V  i  e  w  e  d 
from  above,  and 
shall  be  arched. 
If  the  tail  lacks 
this  spread  and 
breadth,  the 
effect  will  be 
that  of  the  back 
narrowing  up  at 
the  base  of  the 
tail.  If  the  tail 
has  a  good 
spread,  how- 
ever, then  it  can 
carry  out  with- 
out b  r  e  a  k  the 
breadth  and 
lines  of  the 
back.  Some- 
times the  tail  of 
the  male,  espe- 
cially if  very 
w  i  d  e,  will  be 
split  or  divided, 
but  this  is  un- 
desirable. Split  tails  in  males  are  more  or  less  common 
and  undesirable  in  all  breeds  having  widespread  tails. 

The  wings  should  be  carried  properly  folded  and  held 
strongly  up  in  place.     In  a  properly  folded  and  held  wing, 


Fig.  30.  White  Plymouth  Rock  male  showing  split 
tail.  (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  In- 
dustry,   United    States    Department    of    Agriculture.) 


THE   AMERICAN    CLASS 


73 


the  point  of  the  wing  points  to,  and  is  in  line  with,  the  vent. 
Frequently  the  point  of  wing  is  held  up  too  high  toward  the 
saddle.  Quite  often  the  wing  in  this  breed  is  not  held  up 
properly,  but  hangs  down  partly  unfolded.  Such  a  wing  is 
called  a  slipped  or  split  wing.  See  Fig.  8.  Slipped  wings 
are  especially  prevalent  in  the  white  variety.  Breeders 
should  be  selected  which  are  free  from  this  defect  if  pos- 
sible, for  it  seems  to  breed  strongly  and  is  difficult  to  get  out 
of  a  flock,  once  it  has  been  introduced. 

Sometimes  the 
flight  feathers 
do  not  grow 
normally,  but 
show  a  twisted 
condition.  See 
Fig.  31.  Twisted 
wings  are  espe- 
cially prevalent 
in  Barred  Plym- 
outh Rocks. 
This  is  quite  a 
serious  defect. 
Con  stitutional 
weakness  is  apt 
to  be  associated 
with  twisted 
wings.  Birds 
with  twisted 
w  i  n  g  s  usually 
have  long  wings 
poorly  fleshed.  A  well-fleshed  wing  seldom  shows  twisted 
feathers. 

A  good  yellow  leg  color  is  desired  in  all  varieties,  but  is 
more  or  less  difficult  to  obtain  in  some  varieties,  particularly 
in  the  females.  Green  peppering  is  likely  to  show  in  the 
White  Plymouth  Rock,  a  dark  cast  in  the  females  of  the 


Fig.  31.  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  male  showing 
twisted  wing.  ( Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,  United   States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


74  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

Partridge  variety,  dark  spots  or  a  green  shade  in  the  females 
of  the  Barred  variety,  and  a  green  shade  in  the  exhibition 
Barred  Plymouth  Rock  male.  Often  Barred  Plymouth  Rock 
pullets  which  show  dark  shading  on  the  shanks  molt  in  with 
a  fine  yellow  color  of  shanks  as  hens.  While  it  is  more  or 
less  difficult  to  secure  clear  yellow  legs  in  the  cases  men- 
tioned above,  it  is  possible  to  do  so.  This  particular  will 
undoubtedly  be  improved  vastly,  so  that  it  will  pay  breeders 
to  do  what  they  can  toward  this  end. 

Barred  Plymouth  Rock  females  often  show  a  dark  shading 
m  beak.  While  this  is  not  considered  a  serious  defect,  a 
clear  yellow  is  preferred. 

The  Plymouth  Rock  should  have  large,  heavy,  well- 
muscled  thighs  and  shanks  of  good  length.  Too  long  shanks 
must,  however,  be  avoided,  as  they  are  apt  to  go  with  flat 
breast.  Too  long  shanks,  knock-knees  and  long  or  crooked 
toes  are  often  found  in  birds  of  weak  constitution.  The 
toes  are  sometimes  crooked  on  one  or  both  feet.  This,  of 
course,  detracts  from  the  appearance  of  the  bird  and  conse- 
quently injures  its  show  quality  considerably.  Stubs,  small 
feathers  or  down  sometimes  occur,  but  the  breed  runs  pretty 
good  in  this  respect.  In  mating  Plymouth  Rocks  the  fol- 
lowing are  defects  more  or  less  common  to  the  breed  which 
must  be  guarded  against  so  far  as  possible : 

Too  large  comb ;  too  many  points  to  comb ;  side  sprigs ; 
double  points  to  comb ;  thumb  marks ;  too  small  size ;  too 
stilty  or  too  long-legged ;  too  deep,  low  set  bodies  approach- 
ing the  Orpington  in  type ;  flat  or  deficient  breast ;  knock- 
knees  ;  narrow  bodies ;  crooked  toes ;  tail  too  high ;  split 
tail ;  tail  not  well  spread ;  slipped  or  split  wings ;  twisted 
wings ;  dark  spots,  dark  or  green  shade  or  green  peppering 
in  shanks,  particularly  of  females ;  stubs ;  light  or  green 
eye ;  white  in  ear  lobe ;  crow  or  snaky  head ;  back  tending 
to  narrow  in  at  base  of  tail,  thus  not  carrying  the  width  of 
back  at  shoulders  throughout  the  length  of  back;  angle 
where  back  and  tail  join. 


THE   AMERICAN    CLASS  75 

The  Barred  Plymouth  Rock 

This  variety  has  been  bred  for  a  long  time,  almost  ex- 
clusively under  the  double  mating  system.  As  a  result,  the 
cockerel  and  pullet  lines  of  blood  are  very  definitely  fixed, 
and  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance  for  success  that  the 
birds  used  in  the  matings  should  be  of  the  right  breeding. 
It  is  inadvisable  under  most  circuriistances  to  cross  the  cock- 
erel and  pullet  lines.  So  important  is  the  breeding  back  of 
the  birds,  and  this,  of  course,  holds  true  of  all  line-bred 
strains  or  families  of  any  variety  or  breed,  that  a  bird  of  the 
right  breeding  should  often  be  selected  for  a  mating  in 
preference  to  one  of  far  better  quality  but  not  of  the  right 
breeding. 

It  is  also  well  to  note  here  that  solid  black  feathers, 
feathers  partly  black  and  partly  barred,  and  feathers  similar 
to  the  Dark  Brahma  hackle  feathers,  will  be  frequently  found 
throughout  the  plumage  of  both  male  and  female  Barred 
Plymouth  Rocks.  The  occurrence  of  these  feathers  does 
not  indicate  any  impurity  of  blood,  nor  are  they  considered 
serious  defects  unless  found  in  very  large  numbers.  These 
oflF-colored  feathers,  and  in  particular  the  solid  blacks,  are 
numerous  in  the  plumage  of  many  of  the  very  finest  speci- 
mens, and  are,  of  course,  pulled  out  before  the  birds  are 
shown.     See  Figs.  10  and  11. 

The  breeding  of  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks  is  such  a  special- 
ized business  that  it  seems  best  to  set  forth  the  methods  of 
mating  as  given  by  some  of  the  individual  breeders. 

Cockerel  mating. — A  breeder  of  cockerel-bred  birds 
describes  his  method  of  mating  as  follows :  The  male  should 
be  the  finest  quality  of  exhibition  male  possible,  provided  he 
is  descended  from  a  long  line  of  high  class  exhibition  males. 
He  should  be  of  good  size,  that  is,  of  standard  weight,  but 
should  not  be  more  than  a  pound  or  two  above  standard. 
He  should  be  a  fairly  quick  growing  bird,  and  should  be 
fully  matured  in  form  and  feather  at  an  age  of  not  less  than 


76  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

seven  months,  as  there  is  a  tendency  for  some  strains  of 
this  variety  to  be  slow  in  maturing. 

The  surface  color  of  the  male  should  be  clean  and  even, 
with  an  underbarring  consistent  with  the  brilliant  surfa?e 
color.  It  is  most  important  that  the  surface  color  be  even  a11 
over — that  is,  that  the  hackle,  back,  wing  bows,  saddle  and 
tail  coverts  should  be  one  even  shade  of  color.  This  even- 
ness of  color  can  be  easily  tested  by  pressing  the  bird's 
hackle  back  on  the  wing  bows  and  saddle,  when  any  varia- 
tion of  color  is  at  once  perceived.  In  the  cockerel-bred 
males  more  or  less  metallic  will  often  be  found  on  the  wing 
bars,  tail  coverts  and  sickle  feathers.  This  metallic  shows  as 
a  greenish  cast  in  the  dark  bars  of  the  feathers  and  is  a 
defect  which  should  be  guarded  against  in  selecting  males 
both  for  breeding  and  exhibition  purposes.  Under  no  cir- 
cumstances use  a  male  with  a  smutty  colored  surface — that 
is,  when  the  dark  and  white  bars  are  not  clearly  defined  and 
distinct,  but  the  dark  tends  to  run  into  the  white  bar.  It  is  a 
mistake  to  try  to  clear  up  this  color  in  the  offspring  by  using 
a  bright  colored  female.  The  white  bar  should  be  clean, 
distinct  and  snappy,  and  the  black  bar  free  from  a  brown 
edging.  The  contrast  between  the  black  and  the  white 
should  be  as  distinct  as  possible,  and  the  line  of  demarcation 
between  the  two  bars  very  definite  and  clean-cut.  The  under 
color  does  not  necessarily  have  to  be  heavily  barred,  but  the 
barring  should  be  well  defined  clear  to  the  skin.  See  Figs.  32 
and  33.  The  wing-flights  and  secondaries  should  be  straight 
and  distinctly  marbled,  and  the  barring  should  run  straight 
across  the  wdng.  If  the  barring  in  the  wing  of  a  male  shows 
pronounced  black  and  white,  this  denotes  probable  strength 
of  barring  throughout  the  entire  plumage.  Good  strength 
of  barring  should  also  be  shown  in  the  fluff,  as  this  is  gener- 
ally one  of  the  weak  sections.  A  bird  strong  in  wing  and 
fluff  barring,  and  even  in  surface  color,  will  be  strong  in  the 
underbarring  of  other  sections.  In  general,  in  selecting  a 
male  to  head  the  pen,  pick  one  which  is,  as  nearly  as  pos- 


.»?);• 


•»»»! 


77 


78  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

sible,  in  color,  type  and  barring,  exactly  what  you  wish  to 
see  in  the  progeny. 

In  selecting  females  for  this  mating,  first  be  sure  that  the 
breeding  '"  right — that  is,  that  they  are  descended  from  a 
long  line  of  high  class  exhibition  males.  The  female  should 
have  a  tail  carriage  slightly  below  standard  requirements, 
and  the  tail  should  be  well  spread.  She  should  also  be  broad 
and  full  feathered  over  the  back,  and  this  should  be  carried 
well  up  on  to  the  tail,  even  to  the  extent  of  showing  a  slight 
cushion.  It  is  from  such  females  that  the  good,  broad- 
backed  males  with  full,  long  feathered  saddles  are  secured. 
The  comb  should  be  low,  evenly  serrated,  and  have  four, 
five  or  six  points,  which  should  be  well  defined  in  contour. 

In  color  the  female  should  be  clean  black  and  white  on 
the  surface,  with  no  sign  of  smut.  It  is,  however,  very 
dif^cult  to  obtain  absolute  freedom  from  smut.  The  black 
bar  on  the  surface  should  be  two  or  three,  or  even  four 
times  as  wide  as  the  white  bar,  and  the  surface  color  should 
be  even  in  every  section.  The  underbarring  should  be 
narrow  and  well  defined  clear  to  the  skin  in  all  sections, 
with  no  sign  of  smutty  color.  See  Fig.  33.  The  barring 
in  the  hackle  should  be  especially  straight  across  the  feather 
in  order  to  produce  the  finest  hackles  in  the  exhibition  males. 
The  black  and  white  marbling  of  the  wing  should  be  very 
clear.  It  is  very  important  that  the  tail  barring  be  straight 
across  the  feathers.  Some  of  the  best  individual  females  for 
the  cockerel  mating  will  have  some  entirely  black  feathers 
even  in  the  wing  flights.  This  denotes  an  abundance  of 
pigment,  and  will  produce  stronger  underbarring  in  the 
progeny.  The  barring  in  the  fluff  should  be  good,  in  fact, 
just  as  good  as  in  the  back.  Cockerel-bred  females  are 
usually  darker  colored  on  the  legs  and  beaks  than  exhibition 
females,  but  this  does  not  hurt  their  breeding  value  for 
producing  exhibition  males. 

In  both  sexes  the  barring  on  the  breast  should  be  straight 
and  with  a  sharp  contrast  in  color.    If  the  barring  is  weak 


"iin((((i^ 


If 

^  r. 


79 


80  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

or  poor  in  this  section  the  barring  on  the  lower  breast  and 
toward  the  thighs  is  apt  to  run  pretty  wide. 

In  this  mating  the  following  defects  must  be  guarded 
against,  so  far  as  possible :  Too  large  combs ;  green  eyes ; 
under  color  not  well  defined ;  wdiite  or  cotton  under  color ; 
rreen  legs  in  exhibition  males ;  double  points  to  comb ; 
smutty  feathers  in  wing  bow^s ;  slipped  wings ;  metallic  on 
the  wing  bars,  tail  coverts  and  sickle  feathers  of  males. 

Pullet  mating. — A  breeder  of  the  pullet  line  gives  the 
following  as  his  method  of  mating:  The  male  to  head  this 
mating  should  be  rather  long  in  body,  should  carry  the  tail 
a  trifle  lower  than  the  standard  male,  and  have  the  width 
of  back  carried  out  proportionately  in  the  width  of  tail. 
The  tail  should  be  fairly  well  spread,  but  the  sickles  and 
coverts  do  not  necessarily  need  to  be  as  fully  furnished  as  in 
a  show  male.  The  breast  should  be  wide  and  full,  a  flat 
breast  being  guarded  against.  The  legs  should  be  strong 
and  set  well  apart,  with  no  tendency  toward  knock-knees. 
The  comb  may  be  a  trifle  smaller  than  that  of  the  standard 
or  exhibition  male.  A  very  strong,  bright  red  eye  is 
desired.  The  ideal  color  of  the  male  for  this  mating  is  the 
same  as  that  of  the  ideal  exhibition  female,  but  the  barring 
of  the  male  runs  much  narrower  than  in  the  exhibition 
female,  and  this  greater  width  of  the  dark  bar  in  the  female 
causes  her  to  appear  to  be  of  darker  shade  than  the  pullet- 
bred  male.  While  the  male  should  be  straight  pullet-bred, 
even  in  such  a  line  males  will  be  found  ranging  widely  in 
color  from  a  medium  strong  color  to  a  very  light  color. 
This  difference  in  color  should  be  due  entirely  to  the  differ- 
ence in  the  width  of  the  dark  bar,  as  the  dark  bar  gives  the 
color,  and  should  not  be  due  to  any  difference  in  the  color 
of  the  dark  bar  itself.  Have  the  white  bar  as  white  as  pos- 
sible in  both  sexes,  as  the  clearness  and  distinctness  of  the 
white  bar  adds  materially  to  the  breeding  value  of  the  bird. 
Provided  the  dark  bar  is  ideal  in  color,  but  still  the  birds  are 
of  several  shades  of  color  due  to  th?  difference  in  the  width 


81 


82  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

of  the  dark  bar,  the  success  in  breeding  will  depend  upon  the 
ability  to  combine  the  different  shades  of  the  male  and 
female.  The  male  showing  the  narrowest  dark  bars  should 
be  mated  with  the  females  showing  the  wider  dark  bars,  and 
vice  versa.  This  matter  of  the  shade  of  the  birds  or  the 
width  of  the  dark  bar  practically  resolves  itself  into  a  mating 
of  feathers.  Select  a  male  that  shows  as  clear  and  bright 
contrast  between  the  light  and  dark  bars  as  possible.  The 
two  colors  should  be  clear  and  distinct,  the  white  as  white 
and  the  black  as  black  as  possible.  See  Fig.  34.  This 
distinctness  can  often  be  found  in  the  highest  degree  in  the 
wing  bows  or  shoulders  of  birds  of  both  sexes,  and  can  be 
used  as  a  guide  to  color.  Avoid  any  brown  or  grayish  cast 
shading  off  the  dark  bar  into  the  white.  The  line  between 
the  two  bars  should  be  clear  and  distinct. 

The  hackle  of  the  male  often  shows  a  tendency  to  be  a 
little  wider  or  more  open  in  barring  than  other  sections,  and 
a  male  good  in  other  respects  and  showing  this  openness  in 
hackle  should  not  be  discarded,  as  he  may  prove  to  be  a  most 
valuable  breeder.  If  there  is  too  fine  a  barring  in  the  hackle 
of  the  male,  this  is  apt  to  show  in  the  female  offspring  as  a 
dark  or  smutty  appearing  bar. 

If  the  dark  bar  is  more  than  equal  to  the  width  of  the 
white  bar  in  the  under  color  of  the  back,  which,  however,  is 
not  often  the  case,  the  female  offspring  generally  come  indis- 
tinct and  with  slaty  under  color.  Often  cockerels,  when 
getting  their  adult  plumage,  show  a  yellow  cast  in  hackle, 
back,  wing  bows  and  saddle,  but  principally  in  hackle,  which 
disappears  when  the  bird  is  fully  finished.  This  yellow  cast 
is  often  mistaken  for  brassiness  in  the  Barred  Plymouth 
Rock  male.  The  wing  flights  should  show  a  good,  clear, 
distinct,  straight  barring.  Birds  weak  in  this  respect  should 
not  be  used  in  the  breeding  pen  If  possible  to  get  along  with- 
out them,  and  If  used,  great  care  should  be  taken  to  offset 
the  defect  In  the  selection  of  females  for  the  mating.  Birds 
showing  a  good,  strong  fluff  barring,  both  in  surface  and 


»n«c^ 


a'u 

O  C8 

^15 


2" 
2 


63 


84  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 

under  color,  are  as  a  rule  considered  very  desirable  as 
breeders. 

The  females  for  the  pullet  mating  should  be  as  near 
standard  as  possible,  but  if  bred  along  the  right  lines  may  be 
used  when  they  vary  all  the  way  from  the  narrow  dark  bar 
to  the  wide  dark  bar — that  is,  are  too  light  or  too  dark — the 
weakness  of  the  barring  of  the  females  being  offset  by  the 
selection  of  a  male  strong  in  those  points.  The  barring  of 
the  females  must,  however,  be  clear  and  distinct — that  is, 
the  black  as  intense  as  possible  and  the  white  clear.  See 
Fig.  35.  Avoid  a  brownish  cast  or  dull  color  in  the  black 
bar.  While  the  standard  calls  for  back  feathers  ending  in  a 
black  tip,  they  are  frequently  lacking  in  this  respect,  espe- 
cially in  young  birds,  and  this  is  a  serious  defect.  Pullets 
often  show  good  black-tipped  feathers  on  wing  bows  and 
breast,  and  cockerels  on  hackle  and  back.  Pullets  generally 
show  the  most  white  tips  in  the  back.  However,  young 
])irds  generally  show  improvement  in  this  respect  with  age. 

As  in  the  case  of  the  male,  the  barring  of  the  wing  flights 
should  be  straight,  clear  and  distinct,  and  females  weak  in 
this  respect  should  not  be  used  if  it  is  possible  to  avoid  doing 
so.  Even  the  finest  of  exhibition  females  rarely  show  solid 
yellow  beaks  and  legs  that  are  absolutely  free  from  any 
foreign  color.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  beaks.  Dark 
streaks  or  shading  are  present  in  the  beaks  and  dark  spots 
on  the  legs.  Often  pullets  showing  some  dark  in  shank 
color  molt  in  a  fine  yellow  as  hens.  The  clear  yellow  color 
is  most  desirable,  however,  and  should  be  selected  for  where 
possil)le  without  sacrificing  good  color  and  barring. 

The  barring  in  both  the  male  and  female  often  is  better 
in  adult  birds  than  in  cockerels  and  pullets.  Therefore  do 
not  discard  young  birds  showing  promise  until  they  have 
fully  matured.  Early  hatched  birds  of  both  matings  some- 
times seem  to  show  a  brown,  which  is  due  to  the  fading 
incident  to  long  exposure  to  the  sun.  The  later  hatched 
birds  do  not  show  this  as  much,  since  their  mature  plumage 


THE  AMERICAN    CLASS 


85 


86 


THE   MATING  AND   BREEDING   OF   POULTRY 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  87 

is  not  subjected  to  as  much  sun.  This  is  responsible  for  the 
belief  rather  commonly  held  that  later  hatched  birds  are 
superior  in  color  to  early  hatched  birds. 

The  following  defects  must  be  guarded  against,  so  far  as 
possible,  in  this  mating : 

Green  or  light  eyes ;  weak,  flat  breasts,  especially  in 
males ;  knock-knees  and  crooked  toes,  especially  in  males ; 
green  shade  or  pale  yellow  legs  in  both  sexes;  dark  spots 
on  shanks  in  females ;  slipped  and  twisted  wings ;  crooked 
backs  (this  defect  is  not  necessarily  transmitted  to  the  off- 
spring) ;  solid  black  feathers  in  wings  (while  it  is  prefer- 
able to  use  breeders,  if  possible,  which  are  free  from  this 
defect,  many  high  class  specimens  showing  it  may  prove  to 
be  very  valuable  breeders,  as  the  defect  is  not  necessarily 
transmitted  to  the  offspring.  Solid  black  feathers  in  the 
wings  may  not  be  present  in  young  birds,  but  may  come  in 
with  age)  ;  smoky  or  mossy  feathers  in  back  of  females ; 
uneven  tipped  feathers  in  back  of  females,  that  is,  feathers 
some  of  which  are  tipped  with  white  and  some  with  black, 
showing  no  uniformity  in  the  tipping. 

In  addition  to  the  defects  to  be  guarded  against,  as  given 
under  the  cockerel  and  pullet  matings,  the  defects  listed  for 
the  breed  in  general  (page  74)   should  also  be  consulted. 

The  White  Plymouth  Rock 

This  variety  is  probably  the  best  in  type  and  the  most 
uniform  in  this  respect  of  any  of  the  Rocks.  In  breeding 
this  variety  it  is  usual  to  employ  a  single  or  standard  mating, 
or  to  use  a  standard  male  with  two  types  of  females. 

The  male  should  be  as  near  standard  as  possible.  The 
color  of  the  male,  and  of  the  females  as  well,  should  be  a 
good,  clear  white,  with  no  trace  of  creaminess  in  the  quills. 
Often  a  small  amount  of  black  or  dark  ticking  will  appear 
in  the  wing  and  tail  feathers.  This  should  be  guarded 
against,  as  it  is  likely  to  prove  troublesome.     Also  avoid 


88  THE    MATING    AXD    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

gray  in  the  flight  feathers.  Special  importance  must  be 
attached  to  the  back  of  the  male.  The  breadth  of  back  must 
be  carried  throughout  and  there  must  be  no  tendency  toward 
narrowing  in  at  the  tail.  The  tail  should  be  well  furnished, 
well  spread,  and  carried  rather  low.  Carriage  of  tail  lower 
than  called  for  by  the  standard  seems  to  find  favor  in  the 
show  room,  but  breeders  should  be  selected  which  are 
standard  in  tail  carriage  unless  the  females  used  show  a 
tendency  toward  too  high  tails,  when  a  male  with  lower 
carried  tail  should  be  used.  In  some  males,  the  tail  splits  in 
the  middle  and  the  sickles  fall  between.  This  is  undesirable 
and  should  be  guarded  against.     See  Fig.  30. 

To  mate  with  this  male  for  the  production  of  exhibition 
cockerels  especially,  select  females  which  show  a  little 
cushion  and  which  are  a  trifle  shorter  in  back  and  a  trifle 
higher  on  legs  than  exhibition  females.  They  should  also 
be  full  in  fluff,  the  cushion  and  fluff  forming  a  circle  when 
viewed  from  the  rear.  The  cushion  and  full  fluff  tend  to 
give  a  nicer  finished  back  and  tail  on  the  cockerels. 

For  the  production  of  exhibition  females,  and  of  males  as 
well,  select  females  as  near  to  standard  as  possible,  showing 
a  full,  deep  breast  and  a  short,  well-spread  tail,  carried 
nearly  on  a  straight  line  with  the  back,  and  with  as  little 
narrowing  of  the  back  at  the  tail  as  possible.  By  well-spread 
tail  is  meant  a  spread  from  side  to  side,  as  viewed  from 
above.  The  tail  should  be  slightly  arched,  but  not  duck 
shaped — that  is,  not  flat  on  top. 

Breeders  of  both  sexes  should  be  up  to  or  slightly  above 
the  standard  weight,  as  it  is  difiicult  to  get  back  standard 
size  once  it  is  lost. 

In  addition  to  the  general  defects  for  the  breed  as  a 
whole  (page  74),  the  following  defects  must  be  especially 
guarded  against,  so  far  as  possible,  in  this  variety : 

Black  or  dark  ticking;  creaminess  in  quills;  horn  color 
at  butt  of  quills  of  flight  feathers;  slipped  wings;  green 
peppering  in  the  shanks  ;   stubs  ;    split  tails. 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  89 

The  Buff  Plymouth  Rock 

In  this  variety  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  males  especially 
to  be  set  too  high  on  legs,  that  is,  to  be  stilty,  and  also  to  be 
lacking  or  flat  in  breast.  Combs  which  are  too  large  are 
also  very  frequent. 

In  mating  this  variety  it  is  not  necessary  to  resort  to 
double  mating,  as  high  class  standard  specimens  of  both 
sexes  can  be  produced  from  a  single  or  standard  mating. 

In  selecting  breeders  for  a  standard  mating,  choose  birds 
of  both  sexes  which  approach  the  standard  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible, both  in  color  and  type.  Evenness  of  color  in  both 
male  and  female  is  especially  desirable,  and  each  bird  should 
be  one  even  shade  from  head  to  tail.  The  color  of  the  male 
will,  of  course,  be  somewhat  heavier  than  that  of  the  fe- 
males, but  evenness  must  be  emphasized  in  each  bird.  The 
general  surface  color  of  the  females  selected  should  be  the 
same  shade  of  buff  as  the  breast  of  the  male.  Select  in  so 
far  as  possible  birds  which  are  free  from  white,  black  or  a 
peppering  of  either  color  in  the  wing  flights  and  the  main 
tail  feathers  of  both  sexes,  and  in  the  sickles  of  males.  Of 
these  two  foreign  colors,  black  and  white,  black  is  generally 
considered  the  less  harmful.  There  is  a  decided  tendency 
for  the  females  to  be  mealy  on  the  shoulders.  By  mealiness 
is  meant  an  unevenness  of  color  which  causes  the  surface 
of  the  feathers  to  appear  as  though  sprinkled  with  some 
lighter  colored  substance,  such  as  meal.  In  fact  mealiness 
is  one  of  the  greatest  faults  in  all  buff  females. 

\\^hite  in  the  under  color,  especially  of  the  hackle,  back 
and  saddle,  and  at  the  root  of  the  tail  of  males,  is  a  common 
and  troublesome  defect,  and  one  which  is  apt  to  develop  or 
to  increase  with  age.  Therefore  cockerels  sound  in  this 
respect  are  more  valuable  as  breeders  than  those  which  show 
it  even  slightly.  Old  males  sound  in  this  particular  are 
especially  valuable  breeders  of  under  color.  There  is  also 
a  tendency  for  the  quills  of  the  feathers  to  be  very  light  buff 


90  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

or  white  close  to  the  body  in  both  sexes.  This  is  especially 
true  of  the  quills  of  the  main  wing  and  tail  feathers,  which 
seldom  if  ever  show  a  good  bufif  clear  to  the  skin.  In  some 
specimens  there  is  a  tendency  toward  a  darker  colored 
edging  or  lacing  on  some  of  the  feathers,  which  should  be 
avoided.  Some  birds  show  a  pinkish  cast  to  the  buff  under 
color,  and  such  specimens  are  most  likely  to  be  sound  in 
surface  color  and  to  produce  offspring  sound  in  surface  and 
under  color. 

While  double  mating  is  not  necessary  in  order  to  produce 
standard  specimens  of  both  sexes,  it  is  often  resorted  to. 
When  this  is  done  the  matings  should  be  selected  as  follows  : 

Cockerel  mating. — The  male  should  be  standard  and 
absolutely  sound  in  color,  that  is,  free  from  any  black  or 
white  in  wings  or  tail  and  from  a  reddish  cast  on  hackle, 
back,  wing  bows  and  saddle,  or  from  a  red  edging  to  the 
front  of  the  hackle. 

The  females  must  be  bred  from  a  cockerel  line  and  sound 
in  color.  The  shade  of  their  general  surface  color  should 
be  slightly  darker  than  that  of  the  male's  breast.  This  is  a 
somewhat  darker  shade  than  that  ordinarily  sought  for  in 
exhibition  females.  A  very  important  point  is  for  the  fe- 
males to  have  as  rich  and  deep  an  under  color  as  possible, 
extending  clear  to  the  skin.  In  many  instances  such  females 
will  have  almost  as  good  an  under  color  as  the  male.  This 
is  the  mating  depended  upon  to  produce  exhibition  males, 
while  the  females  are  usually  too  dark  in  surface  for  exhibi- 
tion. Occasionally,  however,  a  female  is  produced  from 
such  a  mating  with  light  enough  surface  color  to  be  suitable 
for  exhibition,  and  such  females  are  usually  very  good 
because  strong  in  under  color. 

Pullet  mating. — The  male  used  must  be  from  a  pullet 
line  and  may  not  be.  as  even  colored  as  in  the  cockerel 
mating.  In  fact,  -;  deeper  color  on  the  wing  bows  and 
shoulders  tends  to  offset  any  inclination  to  mealiness  in  the 
surface  of  the  females,  which  is  quite  a  troublesome  defect. 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  91 

The  breast  of  the  male  should  be  of  the  same  shade  as  the 
general  surface  color  of  the  exhibition  female,  or,  in  other 
words,  of  the  females  used  in  this  mating.  The  male's 
breast  should  be  absolutely  free  from  shafting,  for,  if  any 
is  present,  the  pullets  from  this  mating  are  almost  sure  to 
show  some  shafting  throughout,  which  is  a  serious  defect. 
In  surface  color  the  male  should  be  as  nearly  sound  as  pos- 
sible, but  may  be  lighter  both  in  surface  and  under  color 
than  the  standard,  if  out  of  a  high  class  exhibition  female. 
The  females  of  this  mating  should  be  as  near  standard  as 
possible  and  free  from  shafting,  mealiness  or  patchiness. 
By  patchiness  is  meant  the  presence  of  irregular  spots  or 
patches  of  different  shades  of  color.  The  under  color  of 
these  females  need  not  be  as  deep  as  that  of  the  cockerel- 
bred  females,  but  should  be  bufiF  with  a  density  in  proportion 
to  the  surface  color. 

The  following  are  defects  which  must  be  especially 
avoided,  in  so  far  as  possible,  in  this  variety,  in  addition  to 
those  defects  which  are  common  to  all  the  varieties  of  the 
breed  (see  page  74):  Too  large,  coarse  combs;  thumb 
marks  ;  lopped  combs ;  white,  black  or  a  peppering  of  either 
in  wing  flights  or  in  main  tail  feathers  of  both  sexes ;  white 
edging  to  the  sickle  feathers  of  males ;  shafting,  mealiness 
and  patchiness  in  females ;  unevenness  of  color  of  the 
hackle,  back,  wing  bows  and  saddle  of  males;  willow  or 
light-colored  shanks,  especially  in  females ;  white  in  under 
color;  white  or  very  light  buff  quills  close  to  the  body; 
feathers  tending  to  be  laced. 

The  Silver  Penciled  Plymouth  Rock 

Both  the  single  and  double  mating  systems  are  used  in 
breeding  this  variety.  In  double  mating,  select  the  breeders 
as  follows : 

Cockerel  mating. — The  male  should  be  standard  in  color, 
with  sharp,  clear  laced  saddle  and  hackle.     The  breast  and 


92  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

body  color  should  be  black.  The  females  of  this  mating 
should  be  rather  dark  in  color,  with  black  penciling  and 
clear,  sharply  striped  neck  hackles. 

Pullet  mating. — The  male  should  show  some  frosting  and 
white  splashing  on  breast,  thighs  and  fluff,  but  not  up  under 
throat.  If  a  male  is  used  with  too  much  light  color  or 
mottling  of  white  up  under  the  throat,  the  females  are  apt 
to  run  too  light  in  that  section.  Occasional  males  even 
show  some  lacing  of  gray  on  the  sides  of  the  body,  and  these 
are  especially  valuable  pullet  breeders.  The  females  should 
be  standard  in  color. 

A  single  or  standard  mating  is  sometimes  used  with  con- 
siderable success  if  the  breeder  prefers  the  heavier  black 
penciling  in  the  females.  For  such  a  mating  these  black 
penciled  females  are  mated  to  a  standard  male. 

Another  single  mating  which  may  be  used  is  to  select 
birds  of  both  sexes  which  are  as  near  the  standard  as 
possible.  It  is  important  if  exhibition  birds  of  both  sexes 
are  to  be  secured  in  the  offspring  from  this  mating  that 
the  male  used  should  be  out  of  a  well-penciled  female. 

In  addition  to  the  defects  for  the  breed  as  a  whole,  the 
following  common  breeding  defects  of  this  variety  must 
be  avoided  in  so  far  as  possible : 

Red  on  wings  of  males;  solid  w^hite  in  flight  and  main 
wing  feathers  of  males,  other  than  the  white  edging  of 
the  primaries  and  secondaries  called  for  by  the  standard ; 
brassy  backs  of  males;  inclination  to  brownish  cast  in- 
stead of  gray  in  females. 

For  additional  information  on  mating  for  Silver  Pen- 
ciled color,  the  reader  should  refer  to  the  Silver  Penciled 
Wyandotte  (page  113).  and  to  the  Dark  Brahma 
(page    140). 

The  Partridge  Plymouth  Rock 

In  breeding  this  variety  sonie  breeders  use  the  single  or 
standard  mating,  while  others  resort  to  a  double  mating. 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS 


93 


In  the  single  mating,  select  a  male  with  rich,  medium 
red  color,  neither  the  light  orange  that  frequently  occurs 
nor  a  red  so  dark  that  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  the 


Fig.  38.    Well  marked  Partridge  Plymouth  Rock  feathers.     M  indicates  male 

and   F   female.      (PhotoKraph    from   the   Bureau   of   Animal   Industry,   United 

States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


94  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

stripe  of  the  hackle  and  saddle.  It  is  important  that  the 
red  top  color  of  the  male  be  even  in  shade.  It  is  also  im- 
portant that  the  striping  in  hackle  and  saddle  be  a  lus- 
trous greenish  black  and  that  the  black  does  not  extend 
through  the  end  of  the  feathers,  but  that  the  edging  of 
red  extends  clear  around  the  end  of  the  feather.  The 
hackle  and  saddle  should  be  free  from  white  or  cotton 
under  color,  and  this  is  especially  important  in  the  neck. 
The  under  color  of  the  body  should  be  slate  of  medium 
shade.  The  breast  and  the  fluff  should  be  solid  black. 
Some  breeders  claim  that  a  male  with  brown  in  the  fluff 
will  breed  better  females,  but  this  is  denied  by  others. 
The  male  should  have  clear  yellow  legs. 

The  females  for  the  single  or  standard  mating  should 
be  mahogany  in  color  and  of  even  shade.  The  penciling 
should  be  regular  in  all  sections  of  the  body,  from  well 
up  on  the  throat  to  the  tail  and  fluff.  The  shanks  of  the 
females  are  very  apt  to  show  dark,  but  those  as  near  a 
clear  yellow  as  possible  should  be  selected. 

When  double  mating  is  employed,  the  matings  are 
made  as  follows : 

Pullet  mating. — The  male  should  be  lighter  in  the  red 
sections  than  the  exhibition  male,  approaching  a  lemon 
shade.  He  should  also  show  a  red  ticking  on  the  breast, 
and  a  slight  amount  of  red  in  the  fluff.  He  should  show 
a  lighter  under  color  than  the  exhibition  male  in  all  sec- 
tions except  the  hackle  and  tail,  where  it  should  be  as 
dark  as  possible. 

The  females  for  this  mating  should  be  as  near  standard 
as  possible. 

Cockerel  mating. — The  male  should  show  a  fine,  clear, 
cherry  red  of  even  shade  in  all  red  sections.  The  striping 
in  hackle,  back  and  saddle  should  be  clear  and  sharp,  the 
black  showing  a  good  sheen,  and  not  extending  through 
the  end  of  the  feathers. 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  95 

The  females  for  this  mating  should  be  of  standard 
color,  but  showing  a  distinct  greenish  sheen. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects  in  ad- 
dition to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  74)  should 
be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible : 

Light  eyes;  black  striping  running  through  end  of 
hackle  and  saddle  feathers  of  males  so  that  there  is  no 
red  edging  showing  clear  around  the  end  of  the  feather; 
brown  shafting  in  the  hackle  and  saddle  striping  of 
males ;  white  in  tail  and  wings,  especially  in  males ;  dark 
legs,  particularly  in  females ;  stubs ;  too  light  colored  fe- 
males with  lemon  hackles;  stippling  in  the  tail  coverts 
of  females. 

For  additional  information  with  respect  to  mating  for 
Partridge  color,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Partridge 
Cochin  (page  147). 

The  Columbian  Plymouth  Rock 

This  variety  has  a  tendency  to  fail  in  type,  often  being 
too  rangy  and  carrying  the  tail  too  high.  There  is  also 
a  tendency  for  the  fowls  to  run  too  light  in  color — that  is, 
the  black  sections  are  apt  to  be  faded  instead  of  the  good 
intense  black  which  is  desired  in  order  to  show  a  strong 
contrast  to  the  white.  This  is  particularly  true  of  the 
hackles  of  the  males.  To  offset  this  tendency,  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  use  breeders  which  have  a  dark  slate  under 
color. 

In  mating  this  variety,  both  the  single  or  standard 
mating  and  the  double  mating  are  employed.  The  single 
mating  is  more  common  and  is  advised. 

In  the  single  mating,  select  birds  of  both  sexes  which 
have  hackle  feathers  as  near  as  possible  clear  black,  with 
white  edges  running  all  the  way  around  the  point.  The 
color  of  these  feathers  should  be  a  positive  black  and 
white.  The  tail  should  be  a  solid  black.  In  the  females 
the  tail  coverts  should  have  a  white  lacing,  while  it:  the 


96  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

males,  the  lesser  tail  coverts  and  some  of  the  saddle 
feathers  should  be  black  with  white  lacing.  The  sur- 
face color  of  both  sexes  should  be  a  clean,  distinct  black 
and  white,  with  a  bluish  white  under  color.  The  under 
color  may,  in  fact,  be  quite  dark,  even  to  the  extent  of 
the  fluff  showing  a  bluish  tinge  on  the  surface.  For- 
merly, in  order  to  increase  the  black  of  the  wing  feathers, 
there  was  a  tendency  to  use  females  showing  black  on 
the  surface  of  the  back.  vSuch  females  or  males  showing 
too  heavy  a  striping  in  hackle,  or  birds  of  either  sex 
showing  black  in  the  surface  of  the  feathers  on  the  sides 
of  the  fluff  or  the  body  feathers  just  in  front  of  fluff 
should  not,  however,  be  used.  In  general  in  this  mating, 
keep  away  from  birds  as  breeders  showing  a  pure  white 
under  color,  and  use  those  showing  a  pure  white  surface 
color. 

\\'here  the  double  mating  system  is  used,  the  fol- 
lowing matings  are  made : 

Cockerel  mating. — Select  a  standard  colored  male  with 
a  good,  strong  green  sheen  in  all  black  parts.  The  hackle 
should  be  clearly  and  distinctly  striped  clear  to  the  skin, 
while  the  saddle  is  not  heavily  laced,  the  striping  running 
about  one-half  way  down  in  the  under  color.  The  back 
should  be  absolutely  clean  in  color.  The  main  tail 
feathers  should  be  a  solid  black,  the  black  running  clear 
to  the  base  of  the  feathers.  The  fluff  should  be  white, 
ending  with  white  at  the  skin. 

The  females  should  be  of  standard  type.  The  feathers 
should  be  broad.  The  hackle  lacing  should  come  well 
around  in  front  of  the  neck,  while  the  back  should  show 
no  ticking  in  surface.  The  under  color  of  back  should 
be  a  strong,  bluish  white.  The  wings  should  show  strong 
color,  the  black  and  white  being  distinct  and  clearly  de- 
fined. Good,  narrow,  sharp  lacing  is  desired  in  the  tail 
coverts. 

Pullet  mating. — The  male  should  be  of  good  type  and 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  97 

head  points.  He  should  be  more  heavily  colored  in  all  sec- 
tions, including  under  color,  than  called  for  by  the  standard. 
The  saddle  and  hackle  should  both  be  long  and  flowing  and 
heavily  striped.  The  tail  should  be  profusely  furnished  with 
coverts  which  have  a  distinct  and  narrow  lacing  running  the 
full  length  of  the  feather  and  free  from  brown  color.  It 
is  very  important  to  have  strong  black  coloring  in  the  wing 
primaries  and  secondaries,  the  black  and  white  being  dis- 
tinct and  free  from  peppering.  The  females  for  this  rnating 
should  be  lighter  than  standard,  a  white  under  color  of 
fluff  being  desired.  The  lacing  of  the  hackle  and  tail  coverts 
should,  however,  be  as  distinct  and  well  defined  as  possible. 
The  following  defects,  in  addition  to  those  common  to 
the  breed  (page  74).  should  be  especially  guarded  against 
in  so  far  as  possible  in  breeding  this  variety : 

Too  large  comb ;  too  many  points  to  comb ;  side  sprigs ; 
too  rang}^  in  type;  tails  carried  too  high;  black  in  the 
surface  of  back  of  female ;  birds  too  small  in  size ;  stubs 
and  down;  black  in  surface  of  feathers  at  sides  of  fluff 
?nd  the  body  feathers  just  in  front  of  fluff. 

Additional  information  as  to  breeding  Columbian  color 
will  be  found  under  the  Light  Brahma  (page  134),  the  color 
scheme  of  which  is  identical  with  that  of  the  Columbian 
varieties.  It  must  be  kept  in  mind,  however,  that  the 
Columbian  Plymouth  Rock  is  a  newer  variety  than  the  Liglrt 
Brahma  and  that  it  has  not  as  yet  been  developed  to  the 
same  degree  of  perfection. 

The  Wyandotte 

The  Wyandotte  is  a  well-rounded  bird  and  therefore  a 
bird  of  curves.  There  should  be  no  angles  in  the  outline 
and  no  straight  lines.  The  \\  yandotte*"  must  be  a  well- 
balanced  fowl,  and  to  achieve  this  balance  the  legs  must  be 
under  the  center  of  the  bird  and  the  distance  from  the  top  of 
the  back  to  the  bottom  of  the  feet  should  equal  that  from  the 


98 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


breast  to  the  end  of  the  tail.  The  body  should  be  horizontal 
and  a  good  depth  of  body  must  be  maintained,  as  there  is  a 
tendency  for  some  birds  to  lack  in  this  particular.  The 
Wyandotte  size  should  be  maintained,  but  extra  large  and 

coarse  birds  are 
not  desirable  as 
breeders,  since 
they  are  almost 
sure  to  lose  the 
roundness  and 
compactness  of 
shape  desired. 
Neither  are 
birds  which 
tend  to  be  too 
rangy  or  too 
narrow  -  bodied 
desirable.  See 
Fig.  39.  Breadth 
of  body  and 
back  is  neces- 
sary in  order  to 
maintain .  the 
meat  -  carrying 
carcass. 

The   comb   of 
the     Wyandotte 
is    rose    and    of 
medium  size.    It 
should     not     be 
or    be    pebbled, 
the    wattles.      It 
of  the  head,  and 
which  follows  the 
should  not,  how- 
to  cause  a  depres- 


Fig.  39.  Buff  Wyandotte  male,  which  is  too  rangy, 
too  flat  in  back,  and  which  has  a  comb  too  large  and 
coarse.  (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  In- 
dustry,   United    States    Department    of    Agriculture.) 


smooth,  but  show  slight  indentations 
with  a  texture  somewhat  similar  to 
should  be  curved,  following  the  shape 
should  terminate  in  a  well-defined  spike 
neck.  See  Fig.  2,  head  4.  The  spike 
ever,  press  against  the  neck  so  closely  r.s 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  99 

sion  in  the  feathers.  If  the  comb  shows  any  raise  it  should 
be  at  the  front  and  not  at  the  back  of  the  head.  Frequently 
the  comb  is  too  large  and  beefy,  or  too  high.  See  Fig.  39. 
This  is  especially  true  of  males.  Sometimes  the  spike  is 
embedded  in  the  rear  of  the  comb,  as  though  it  had  been 
driven  into  it.  Occasionally  there  is  a  double  spike  to  the 
comb.  A  spike  extending  straight  out  or  inclining  upward 
is  a  defect. 

The  principal  defect  found  in  the  eyes  is  the  occurrence 
of  those  too  light  or  green  in  color.  This  may  be  due  in 
some  cases  to  age,  and,  if  that  is  the  case,  should  not  count 
as  severely  against  an  older  bird  as  a  breeder  as  though  it 
existed  in  the  bird  as  a  cockerel  or  pullet.  A  sunken  eye  is 
also  undesirable,  and  this  appearance  may  be  given  to  the 
eye  by  overhanging  brows. 

The  ear  lobe  should,  of  course,  be  red,  the  principal 
defects  being  paleness  and  white  in  the  lobe.     (See  page  71.) 

The  head  and  comb  should  be  round,  as  well  as  other 
sections,  the  curve  starting  from  the  end  of  the  bill.  A 
narrow  head  should  be  avoided.  The  neck  should  be  short 
and  well  curved,  well  furnished  with  abundant  hackle.  If 
the  neck  is  too  long,  the  curve  is  not  so  good,  and  it  tends  to 
break  the  curve  of  the  round  bird.  The  neck  should  not 
show  a  flatness  in  the  hackle  at  the  base  of  the  skull,  but 
this  place  should  be  well  filled  in  and  rounded  out  so  as  to 
carry  out  the  unbroken  line  of  the  head  and  neck. 

The  back  gives  the  appearance  of  being  short.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  it  should  not  be  extremely  short,  nor  should 
it  be  too  long,  but  should  be  medium  in  length.  Where  backs 
are  too  short,  attempts  are  frequently  made  to  correct  this 
fault  by  increasing  the  length  of  the  tail.  This  does  not  help 
the  back  and  only  makes  the  tail  out  of  proportion.  In- 
creased length  of  back  must  be  obtained  by  an  increased 
length  of  keel.  Too  long  a  back  is  not,  however,  desired,  as 
it  destroys  the  typical  Wyandotte  shape  and  tends  toward 
straight  lines  in  the  back.     The  back  shows  a  short  space 


100  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 

above  the  shoulders  which  is  level  and  then  rises  toward  the 
tail,  blending  smoothly  and  evenly  with  that  section.  In 
fact,  it  is  difficult  to  see  just  where  the  back  leaves  off  and 
the  tail  begins,  and  for  this  reason  the  Wyandotte  often 
appears  to  have  a  much  shorter  back  than  is  really  the  case. 
Avoid  any  angularity  of  back.  See  Fig.  39.  The  back 
should  be  broad,  with  a  broad  and  well-furnished  saddle  in 
the  male  and  a  slight  cushion  or  fullness  of  back  held  well  up 
by  a  well-spread  tail  in  the  female.  This  gives  the  back 
line  of  the  female,  from  the  back  to  the  end  of  the  tail,  a 
slightly  convex  outline  without  any  appearance  of  a  Cochin 
cushion.  The  breadth  of  back  is  carried  out  in  the  breadth 
of  the  body  generally,  so  that  the  side  line  of  the  fowl,  as 
viewed  from  above,  shows  smooth  and  even,  without  any 
hollows  or  indentations. 

In  order  to  be  typically  Wyandotte  in  shape,  the  breast 
must  be  broad,  full  and  prominent.  Too  often  specimens  are 
lacking  in  this  section.  The  breast  should  not  be  so  low. 
however,  as  to  cover  the  hock  line,  but  should  cut  in  just 
above  the  hock  line.  Avoid  a  bird  shov.-ing  a  dish  or  saucer- 
shaped  breast,  that  is.  one  showing  any  tendency  to  be  con- 
cave, especially  on  the  sides,  or  one  whose  throat  shows  a 
prominent  gullet. 

The  wings  should  be  carried  level  and  should  not  be  too 
long.  They  must  also  be  folded  snugly  and  held  in  place. 
Low  carried,  slanting  wings  are  more  common  in  males  than 
in  females.  The  wing  points  should  be  well  covered,  so  as 
to  give  a  smooth,  unbroken  line  to  the  side  of  the  body,  with 
no  indication  of  any  indentation.  Well-covered  wing  points 
are  more  likely  to  be  lacking  in  the  female.  A  bird  with  a 
slipped  or  split  Aving  should  be  discarded  as  a  breeder. 

The  tail  should  be  fairly  short  and  well  spread,  especially 
at  the  base.  If  the  tail  is  too  high  and  long,  it  gives  the 
appearance  of  a  short  back.  A  pinched  tail  is  to  be  avoided. 
The  sickle  feathers  of  the  male  should  be  pliable  and  of 
medium  length,  so  that  they  just  nicely  curve  over  the  ends 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS 


101 


of  the  main  tail  feathers,  giving  the  tail  a  short,  cobby 
appearance.  See  Fig.  40.  AMiile  the  carriage  of  the  tail 
is  somewhat  higher  than  that  of  the  Plymouth  Rock,  espe- 
cially in  the  female,  it  should  not  be  too  high.  The  top  of 
the  tail  should 
be  about  on  a 
level  with  the 
junction  of  the 
head  and  neck. 
A  fairly  full 
fluff  is  desired, 
but  this  should 
not  be  so  full  as 
to      hide      the 


thighs. 


The  legs. 


FifT.  40.  White  Wyandotte  male  with  tail  feathers  so 
long  as  to  destroy  the  short,  cobby  appearance  of 
tail  desired.  ( Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,  United  States   Department  of   Agriculture.) 


a  s       mentioned 

before.      should 

be    strong,    well 

spread,  and  the 

shanks  and  toes 

of      medium 

length.      The 

shank  is  shorter 

than  that  of  the 

Plymouth  Rock, 

with    the    result 

that  the  fowl  is  set  closer  to  the  ground,  just  revealing  the 

hocks,  but  should  not  be  so  short  that  the  hocks  are  not 

shown.    The  shank  should  be  round  and  full,  tapering  from 

the  hock  to  the  feet.     A  flat  leg  or  shin,  sometimes  called 

''hawk  leg,"  must  be  avoided.     Stubs  and  down  occur  rather 

frequently   and  the   former  in  particular  must  be   rigidly 

selected  against.     In  color  the  shanks  and  toes  should  be  a 

good  bright  yellow.     Some  difficulty  is  experienced  in  the 

legs  showing  a  green  or  willow  color  or  green  spots.    Also, 


102  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

in  the  Partridge  Wyandottes  the  shanks  of  the  females  in 
particular  show  dark  to  a  marked  degree. 

The  feathering  of  the  Wyandottes  is  somewhat  looser  and 
more  fluffy  than  that  of  the  other  breeds  of  the  American 
Class.  To  maintain  this  character,  feathers  of  too  coarse  a 
texture  must  be  avoided.  However,  the  other  extreme 
should  not  be  gone  to  and  the  strength  of  the  web  should  be 
maintained  or  there  is  danger  that  the  feathers  will  become 
so  fluffy  as  to  be  Cochiny  in  appearance. 

In  mating  Wyandottes  the  following  defects  common  to 
the  breed  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible : 
too  large  and  coarse  birds  ;  too  small  birds  ;  too  rangy  or  too 
narrow-bodied  birds ;  lack  of  breast ;  too  large,  too  beefy, 
and  too  high  comb ;  spike  of  comb  turning  up  or  straight 
back ;  a  raise  in  the  back  of  the  comb ;  spike  embedded  in 
rear  of  comb ;  double  spike ;  too  light  or  green  eye  ;  sunken 
eye ;  white  in  ear  lobe ;  narrow  head ;  too  long  a  neck,  not 
arched ;  a  flatness  in  the  hackle  at  base  of  skull ;  too  short 
or  too  long  back;  angle  between  back  and  tail;  dish  or 
saucer-shaped  breast ;  prominent  gullet ;  slipped  or  split 
wing;  too  long  tail ;  pinched  tail ;  too  high  tail ;  shanks  too 
long  or  too  short;  flat  or  "hawk"  leg  or  shin;  stubs  and 
down ;  willow  or  green  shank  or  green  spots  on  shanks ; 
feathers  lacking  strength  of  web  so  as  to  appear  Cochiny; 
back  narrow  across  saddle  and  at  base  of  tail  so  that  it  fails 
to  carry  the  width  across  the  shoulders  for  the  entire  length 
of  the  body ;  too  low  on  legs  so  as  to  hide  hocks ;  fluff  so 
full  as  to  hide  hocks. 

The  Silver  Wyandotte 

In  mating  this  variety  it  is  customary  to  use  a  single  or 
standard  mating.  While  some  breeders  claim  that  double 
mating  is  necessary,  high  class  exhibition  specimens  of  both 
sexes  have  been  and  are  being  produced  from  single  matings. 
Birds  of  both  sexes  which  are  as  near  standard  as  possible 
should  be  selected.    The  lacing  wants  to  be  narrow  and  as 


THE   AMERICAN    CLASS 


103 


clean  and  clearly  defined  as  possible,  the  line  between  the 
black  and  white  being  very  distinct.  Be  sure  that  the  black 
lacing  does  not  show  a  white  edging,  which  is  known  as 


s/Liy^/p  in^yi^/vooTr/f 


^^J-v^/V-vi^J-" 


Fig.    41.      Well    marked    Silver    Wyandotte  feathers.    M   indicates  male  and 
F  female.      (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States 
Department  of   Agriculture.) 


104 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


frosting,  as  this  is  very  objectionable.  This  frosting  is 
especially  likely  to  occur  in  females  in  all  sections.  A  female 
desirable  for  breeding  in  other  respects,  but  showing  a  little 
frosting  in  breast,  should  not  be  discarded,  but  offset  this 
weakness  by  mating  her  to  a  male  free  from  frosting  in 
breast.  In  males  frosting  most  frequently  appears  in  breast 
and  fluff.     Note  the  frosted  breast  and  fluff  feathers  of  the 

male  in  Fig.  41. 
It  is  also  impor- 
tant that  the 
lacing  be  nar- 
row so  that  the 
w  h  i  t  e    centers 


5^ 


are  large. 


How- 


Fig.  42.  Standard  or  exhibition  colored  Silver  Wyan- 
dotte male.  Compare  the  feather  markings  with 
those  of  the  male  shown  in  Fig.  43.  (Photograph 
from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture.) 

feather,  and  should  show  no 
It  is  also  very  important  that 
ers  are  clean  white  and  free 
specks  or  penciled  markings.     Where  this  color  occurs  in 


ever,  the  ex- 
treme narrow 
lacing  of  the 
Sebright  is  not 
desired,  as  a 
heavier  lacing  is 
more  attractive 
in  a  bird  of  this 
size.  The  nar- 
rower the  lac- 
ing, the  more 
open  it  is  said 
to  be.  The 
center  of  the 
feather  should 
be  oval  in  shape, 
following  the 
shape    of    the 

tendency  to  be  pointed. 
the  centers   of   the    feath- 

from    any    black    streaks^ 


THE   AMERICAN    CLASS 


105 


the  white,  the  feather  is  said  to  be  mossy.  Often  females 
molt  mossy  after  the  first  year.  Those  that  have  held  their 
clean  lacing  are  more  desirable  as  breeders,  and  the  male 
should  also  be  out  of  a  hen  that  has  molted  absolutely  clear 
on  back.  It  is  desirable  that  the  male  be  well  laced  in  saddle, 
back,  fluff  and  wings  especially.  It  is  also  important  that 
the  feathers  of  the  wing  bars  of  the  male  have  clear  white 
centers  and  be 
free  from  smut- 
tiness,  that  is, 
the  black  of  the 
lacing  extending 
into  the  white 
center.  In  both 
sexes  the  lacing 
should  be  as 
even  as  possible 
in  all  sections, 
so  as  to  avoid 
any  appearance 
of  patchiness. 
The  birds  for 
breeding  should 
show  good  black 
primary  feath- 
ers in  the  wing, 
with  only  a 
lower  edging  of 
white.  There  is, 
however,  a  tend- 
ency for  the 
primaries  t  o 
show  too  much  white,  but  this  is  not  a  serious  breeding 
defect. 

It  must  be  kept  in  mind  that  while  most  of  the  feathers 
of  both  sexes  are  white  laced  with  black,  the  hackle  of  the 


Figr.  43.  Hen  feathered  Silver  Wyandotte  male. 
Males  showing  this  character  of  feathering  and  mark- 
ings which  closely  resemble  that  of  the  female, 
sometimes  occur  and  are  valuable  to  use  in  heading 
a  pullet  mating  where  double  mating  is  employed. 
Compare  with  Fi?.  42.  (Photograph  from  the  Bu- 
reau of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture.) 


106  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

female  and  the  hackle  and  saddle  of  the  male  are  black 
laced  with  white  and  with  a  white  center  extending  along 
the  shaft.  It  is  important  that  the  white  lacing  extend  clear 
around  the  point  of  the  hackle  feathers.  If  it  does  not,  the 
black  ends  of  the  feathers  will  cause  a  dark  appearance  or  a 
dark  ring  where  the  neck  joins  the  body.  It  is  hard  to  get 
good  laced  hackles  in  the  females,  as  they  are  inclined  to  be 
black  with  little  or  no  lacing  and  striped  with  white  along 
the  quill.  A  slate  under  color  is  desirable  in  both  sexes. 
The  males,  however,  are  particularly  likely  to  be  weak  in 
this  respect,  showing  a  white  under  color  next  to  the  skin. 

In  breeding  this  variety  for  excellence  of  lacing  there  has 
been  a  tendency  to  overlook  shape,  so  that  the  birds  are 
likely  to  be  lacking  in  type.  It  is  most  important  to  give  type 
serious  consideration  in  selecting  the  breeders. 

In  mating  this  variety,  guard  against  the  following 
defects,  in  so  far  as  possible,  in  addition  to  those  common 
to  the  breed  (page  102)  :  smutty  wing  bars  and  shoulders ; 
too  narrow  or  too  heavy  lacing;  frosting;  mossiness,  both 
in  young  birds  and  in  hens  that  have  molted  mossy ;  lacing 
of  hackle  not  extending  around  the  end  of  the  feathers. 

The  Golden  Wyandotte 

In  this  variety  the  males  have  a  tendency  to  be  a  trifle  too 
rangy  and  too  narrow,  and  in  consequence  to  be  a  little 
under  w^eight.  The  females  are  likely  to  lack  a  trifle  in 
breast  and  not  to  be  quite  broad  enough.  In  breeding,  the 
single  or  standard  mating  and  the  double  mating  systems  are 
both  employed.     The  single  mating  seems  to  be  preferred. 

In  the  single  mating,  both  the  sexes  should  be  as  near 
standard  as  possible.  The  mating  is  practically  the  same  as 
that  of  the  Silver  Wyandotte,  except  that  a  golden  bay  color 
replaces  the  white  of  the  latter.  Select  for  breeders  birds 
showing  clean,  narrow,  distinct  lacing,  with  good,  large 
golden  ba}^  centers  to  the  feathers.     Avoid  a  golden  bay 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  107 

outer  edging  of  the  black  lacing  which  is  called  frosting  by 
some  breeders,  and  which  corresponds  to  the  frosting  in  the 
Silver  variety.  This  is  likely  to  occur  in  all  sections  of  the 
females  and  in  the  breast  and  fluff  of  males.  Avoid  mossy 
feathers  and  females  as  breeders  which  have  molted  in 
mossy;  that  is,  where  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  black  to 
mix  with  the  bay.  Use  a  male  that  is  out  of  a  female  which 
has  molted  absolutely  clear  on  back.  He  should  also  be  open 
laced  on  breast  and  fluff. 

As  in  the  Silver  ^^^'andotte,  the  lacing  is  reversed  in  the 
hackle  of  female  and  the  hackle  and  saddle  of  male,  show- 
ing a  golden  bay  lacing  instead  of  a  black  lacing,  while  the 
feather  is  black  with  a  golden  bay  center  extending  along 
the  quill.  See  that  the  lacing  of  the  hackle  feathers  extends 
clear  around  the  ends  of  the  feathers,  thus  preventing  them 
from  being  black  tipped.  If  males  have  good,  clear  striping 
in  the  hackle  and  saddle,  the  hackle  will  usually  come  good 
in  the  female  offspring. 

In  selecting  for  color,  do  not  lean  toward  the  yellow.  The 
correct  color  is  golden  bay,  which  should  approach  a 
mahogany  shade.  Too  dark  a  shade  must  not  be  selected, 
however,  or  the  females  will  prove  troublesome  by  molting 
in  mossy. 

In  the  double  mating  the  breeders  should  be  selected  as 
follows : 

Cockerel  mating. — Use  a  standard  or  exhibition  male 
which  has  a  good  green  sheen  in  all  black  sections  and  is 
free  from  purple,  and  whose  under  color  is  very  dark  slate. 
It  is  important  that  the  male  in  this  mating  have  a  good 
comb.  The  females  should  be  a  little  darker  than  standard, 
the  lacing  being  even  in  all  sections,  but  somewhat  heavier 
than  in  the  exhibition  female,  but  as  distinct  as  possible.  If 
weak  combs  have  to  be  used  on  either  sex  in  this  mating,  it 
should  be  on  the  females  and  not  on  the  male. 

Pullet  mating. — The  male  for  this  mating  should  be  a 
trifle  lighter  in  color  than  the  standard,  the  hackle  striping 


108  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

and  lacing  should  be  very  distinct,  but  the  shade  of  color 
should  be  lighter.  The  under  color  likewise  should  be  a 
lighter  shade  of  slate.  The  breast  lacing  should  be  very 
clear  and  distinct  and  standard  in  color.  The  feathers  of  the 
back  should  have  good,  large  golden  centers,  running  larger 
in  this  respect  than  those  of  the  cockerel-bred  or  exhibition 
male.  If  the  lacing  is  clear  and  black,  it  will  do  no  harm  if 
the  golden  centers  of  the  feathers  show  a  little  moss.  If 
males  are  used  having  a  fluff  powdered  with  golden,  they 
tend  to  get  females  with  powdered  fluff  and  a  good  deal  of 
frosting,  which  are  not  desired.  The  females  used  should 
be  of  good  size;  that  is,  up  to  standard  or  a  little  larger. 
In  other  respects  they  should  be  standard.  Females  showing 
a  small  golden  center  in  hackle  feathers  tend  to  get  females 
with  good  clear  centers  in  back.  It  is  important  that  the 
combs  of  the  females  be  small  and  as  near  perfect  as  pos- 
sible, any  defect  in  comb  in  this  mating  being  in  the  male 
rather  than  in  the  female. 

In  mating  the  Golden  Wyandotte,  the  following  defects, 
in  addition  to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  102),  must 
be  avoided  in  so  far  as  possible :  too  rangy  or  too  narrow- 
bodied  males ;  males  too  light  in  weight ;  females  lacking 
in  breast ;  females  not  quite  broad  enough ;  smutty  wing 
bars  and  shoulders ;  golden  bay  outer  edging  to  the  black 
lacing,  sometimes  called  frosting;  mossiness,  both  in  pullets 
and  in  hens  after  they  have  molted;  lacing  of  hackle  not 
extending  around  the  ends  of  the  feathers ;  males  showing 
purple  barring  in  black  sections. 

The  White  Wyandotte 

In  uniformity  of  type  and  in  excellence  of  type  in  general, 
this  variety  is  undoubtedly  superior  to  the  other  varieties. 
In  breeding,  only  the  single  or  standard  mating  is  used. 

Both  the  male  and  the  females  should  be  as  near  standard 
as  possible.    However,  a  female  a  trifle  lower  than  standard, 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  109 

or  one  which  does  not  show  the  hocks  and  which  is  there- 
fore too  low  for  exhibition,  should  not  be  discarded  on  this 
account  from  the  breeding  pen,  as  there  is  a  tendency  for  the 
offspring  to  come  too  high.  In  the  opinion  of  some  breeders, 
the  female  transmits  type  better  than  the  male,  and  they 
believe  that  a  perfect  type  \\\vandotte  cannot  be  produced 
from  a  poor  type  female.  She  should  be,  therefore,  the 
guide  for  type,  while  if  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  Aveakness  in 
color,  this  should  be  in  the  female  and  the  male  should  be 
free  from  it.  In  color  both  sexes  should  be  as  pure  a  white 
as  possible,  free  from  any  creaminess,  brassiness,  black 
ticking  or  any  black  or  foreign  color  in  the  quills.  If  ticking 
occurs  in  the  flock  it  is  important  that  the  male  used  be  free. 
Brassiness  is  not  troublesome,  as  this  variety  is  now  very 
free  from  this  defect.  Creaminess  in  the  under  color  is  also 
not  particularly  troublesome,  although  quite  frequently 
encountered. 

In  breeding  this  variety  the  following  defects,  in  addi- 
tion to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  102),  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  ticking  in  plumage, 
especially  in  main  wing  and  tail  feathers ;  black  or  foreign 
color  in  quill ;  creaminess  of  under  color ;  duck  feet,  that  is, 
rear  toe  turning  forward ;  green  spots  on  shanks  or  green 
or  willow  shanks ;  solid  black  in  wing  and  tail. 

The  Buff  Wyandotte 

This  variety  has  a  tendency  to  be  somewhat  more  rangy 
and  not  quite  as  smooth  and  good  in  type  as  some  of  the 
other  varieties. 

In  mating  it  is  unnecessary  to  resort  to  double  mating, 
as  high  class  standard  specimens  of  both  sexes  can  be  pro- 
duced from  a  single  or  standard  mating.  Double  mating,  as 
in  other  buff  breeds,  is,  however,  sometimes  employed.  In 
mating  this  variety  exactly  the  same  considerations  of  color 
apply  as  in  the  Buff  Plymouth  Rock,  and  matings  should  be 


110  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

selected  upon  the  same  basis.  Willow  or  greenish  legs  are 
somewhat  more  prevalent  in  Buff  Wyandottes  than  in  other 
buff  varieties,  and  must  therefore  be  especially  guarded 
against.  For  other  defects  to  guard  against,  see  the  gen- 
eral description  for  the  ^^^•andotte  (page  102),  and  the  color 
defects  as  described  for  the  Buff  Plymouth  Rock  (page  89). 

The  Black  Wyandotte 

This  variety  runs  very  good  in  type,  but  has  somewhat  of 
a  tendency  for  the  fowls  to  come  too  small,  especially  the 
females.  While  the  standard  calls  for  yellow  or  dusky 
yellow  shanks,  this  is  very  difficult  to  get,  and  breeders  as 
a  rule  are  not  so  particular  if  the  shanks  show  some  black. 
It  is,  however,  desired  to  have  a  nice  yellow  color  to  the 
bottom  of  the  feet,  which  is  also  hard  to  get.  In  breeding 
this  variety  a  standard  mating  is  used.  Both  the  male  and 
females  are  selected  which  approach  the  standard  as  nearly 
as  possible  both  in  type  and  color.  The  plumage  should  be 
a  good  black  with  a  greenish  sheen,  and  should  be  free  from 
any  foreign  color.  Foreign  color  is  most  likely  to  occur  as 
gray  in  the  hackle  and  saddle  of  the  male,  or  as  gray  in  the 
wings  of  both  sexes.  Sometimes  the  males  come  with  a  red 
or  straw  striping  in  the  hackle,  and  occasionally  with  a  silver 
striping.  Less  frequently  this  striping  occurs  in  the  saddle. 
Males  showing  any  of  these  colors  should  be  avoided  in 
breeding.  A  purple  barring  is  also  very  troublesome  in  the 
Black  Wyandotte  and  must  be  carefully  selected  against  in 
the  mating.  The  comb  tends  to  run  very  good.  In  mating 
this  breed  the  following  defects,  aside  from  those  common 
to  the  breed  (page  102),  should  be  guarded  against  in  so  far 
as  possible  :  the  bottoms  of  the  feet  not  a  good  yellow  ;  gray 
in  hackle  and  saddle  of  male ;  gray  in  wings  of  both  sexes ; 
red,  straw  or  silver  in  hackle  of  male;  purple  barring; 
stubs ;  and  too  small  size,  especially  in  females. 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  111 

The  Partridge  Wyandotte 

In  breeding  this  variety,  it  is  more  usual  to  employ  only 
the  single  or  standard  mating,  although  the  double  mating 
system  is  sometimes  used.  Only  the  single  mating  is  given 
here. 

Select  birds  of  both  sexes  which  are  as  near  standard  as 
possible.  The  male  should  be  a  rich,  bright  red  in  all  the 
red  sections.  Avoid  those  birds  which  run  too  dark  in  the 
red  sections  and  also  those  which  run  to  a  light  or  lemon- 
colored  hackle.  Be  sure  that  the  red  edging  of  the  hackle 
and  saddle  extends  clear  around  the  end  of  the  feathers,  as 
otherwise  the  black  tips  of  the  feathers  will  cause  a  smutty 
appearance  and  form  a  black  cape  or  ring  at  the  base  of  the 
hackle  and  end  of  the  saddle.  Be  sure  that  the  shafts  of 
both  hackle  and  saddle  feathers  are  black.  If  they  are 
yellow,  it  is  apt  to  throw  shafting  in  all  sections  of  the 
females,  particularly  in  the  breasts.  In  a  single  or  standard 
mating  it  is  better  not  to  use  a  male  showing  any  red  in 
breast,  as  it  is  possible  to  get  males  with  solid  black  breasts 
and  yet  have  some  red  mixture  or  tinge  in  fluff  and  thigh. 
Some  of  the  best  males  in  other  respects  from  a  single 
mating  will  have  the  black  in  wing  bows  laced  with  red.  The 
males  should  show  lots  of  luster  in  the  red  sections,  while 
the  black  should  have  a  greenish  sheen  free  from  purple 
barring.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  all  the  red 
sections  shall  be  even  in  color.  The  under  color  should  be 
slate,  but  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  under  color  of  hackle 
and  saddle  to  be  white.  It  is  best  to  breed  a  male  without 
this  white  in  under  color,  but  a  bird  of  outstanding  surface 
color  may  often  be  used,  even  though  showing  white  in 
under  color  of  hackle  and  saddle. 

In  selecting  the  females  for  the  matings,  use  those  show- 
ing a  ground  color  of  mahogany,  being  careful  not  to  get 
this  color  too  dark,  as  the  darker  birds  have  a  tendency  to 
run  too  dark  in  hankie,     There  is  also  a  tendency  for  the 


112  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

females  to  run  to  a  lemon  or  orange  color,  which  is  too  light 
and  should  be  selected  against.  There  should  be  no  metallic 
sheen  apparent.  There  is  a  tendency  for  the  penciling  to  run 
too  dark,  that  is,  the  black  penciling  running  wider  than  the 
red,  when  it  should  be  the  same  width.  Select  females  with 
broad,  open  penciling  rather  than  too  fine,  narrow  penciling. 
If  the  latter  type  of  penciling  is  selected,  there  is  a  tendency 
for  the  penciling  to  be  lost  entirely  in  the  progeny,  the 
feathers  coming  stippled  instead  of  penciled.  Females  are 
apt  to  be  weakest  in  penciling  in  the  back  and  fluff,  where 
they  often  show  stippling,  barring  or  broken  penciling. 
Females  are  rarely  as  good  in  penciling  as  pullets  as  they  are 
after  they  have  molted  in  as  hens.  Therefore,  do  not  be  too 
hasty  in  disposing  of  a  pullet  which  shows  promise,  as  she 
may  molt  into  a  splendidly  penciled  hen.  Avoid  females 
showing  shafting,  which  is  most  likely  to  appear  in  the 
breast.  In  under  color  the  females  run  very  good.  In  leg 
they  usually  show  a  dark  color,  so  much  so,  in  fact,  as  to 
iTiake  it  possible  to  tell  the  sex  of  day-old  chicks  by  this 
means  with  reasonable  success,  as  the  males  usually  come 
with  good,  clear  yellow  legs.  It  is  well  to  select  females 
showing  as  good  yellow  shanks  as  possible,  as  they  are 
desired. 

In  breeding  this  variety,  the  following  defects,  in  addi- 
tion to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  102\  should  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible  :  too  dark  red  in  males  ; 
lemon  hackle  in  males;  failure  of  the  red  edging  of  male 
hackle  and  saddle  to  extend  around  the  end  of  the  feathers ; 
yellow  shafts  in  hackle  and  saddle  of  male;  red  in  breast 
of  male ;  purple  in  the  black  color  of  males ;  white  in  under 
color  of  male  hackle  and  saddle;  too  dark  red  color  of 
females,  especially  in  nackle;  too  light  a  red  in  females, 
running  to  kmion  or  orange  ;  metallic  sheen  in  females  ;  too 
dark  penciling,  that  is,  the  black  penciling  wider  than  the  red 
of  the  feather;  too  fine  or  narrow  penciling;  stippling, 
barring  or  broken  penciling  in  back  and  fluff;    shafting  in 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  113 

breast  of  females ;    dark  color  in  legs  of  females ;    stubs  in 
both  sexes. 

For  additional  information  in  regard  to  breeding  part- 
ridge color,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Partridge  Cochin 
(page  147)  and  to  the  Partridge  Plymouth  Rock  (page  92). 
with  special  reference  to  the  double  mating  sometimes 
employed. 

The  Silver  Penciled  Wyandotte 

In  breeding  this  variety  both  single  and  double  matings 
are  used. 

Cockerel  mating.— Select  a  male  standard  both  in  type 
and  color.  Be  sure  that  both  hackle  and  saddle  feathers 
have  a  clear,  sharp  stripe  of  pronounced  black,  that  the 
breast  is  black,  free  from  any  white  frosting  or  ticking  and 
that  the  wing  is  black  and  white,  free  from  any  gray  in  flight 
feathers.  ^  ^ 

Select  females  of  good  type  but  of  dark  color.  The  pen- 
ciling should  be  black  and  the  general  color  of  some  of  the 
feathers  may  be  so  dark  that  the  penciling  is  indistinct.  The 
hackle  feathers  should  be  sharply  and  distinctly  striped.  The 
flights  should  be  dark  or  black,  showing  no  gray. 

Pullet  mating.— Use  a  rather  light-colored  male.  His 
breast,  thighs  and  fluff  should  show  some  frosting  and  white 
ticking  or  splashing.  A  male  should  not  be  used,  however, 
with  too  much  light  color  or  mottling  of  white  up  under  the 
throat,  as  the  females  from  him  are  apt  to  run  too  light  in 
that  section.  An  occasional  male  will  even  show  some  lacing 
of  gray  on  the  sides  of  the  bodv,  and  these  are  especially 
valuable  pullet  breeders.  The  saddle  feathers  should  show 
as  distmct  a  stripe  as  possible,  but  a  little  penciling  in  the 
saddle  striping  is  desirable  in  a  pullet  breeder.  The  hackle 
feathers  should  have  a  strong  black  stripe  in  order  to  offset 
a  tendency  toward  too  much  penciling  in  the  hackles  of  the 
female  offspring. 


114       THE  MATING  AND  BREEDING  OF  rOULTRY 

The  females  for  this  mating  should  be  standard  in  color 
and  type. 

A  single  or  standard  mating  may  be  used  with  consider- 
able success.  In  this  mating,  both  the  male  and  female 
should  be  as  near  standard  as  possible,  both  in  type  and 
color. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects,  in  addition 
to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  102),  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible :  red  on  wings  of  males ;  solid 
white  in  flight  and  main  wing  feathers  of  males  other  than 
the  w^hite  edging  of  the  primaries  and  secondaries  called  for 
by  the  standard ;  brassy  backs  in  males ;  inclination  to  a 
brownish  cast  instead  of  gray  in  females,  which  is  apt  to 
increase  with  age ;  gray  in  flight  feathers. 

For  additional  information  on  breeding  Silver  Penciled 
color,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Dark  Brahma  (page  140), 
whose  color  scheme  is  identical  with  that  of  the  Silver 
Penciled  Wyandotte. 

The  Columbian  Wyandotte 

In  this  variety  the  black  is  often  inclined  to  be  faded 
instead  of  intense,  and  it  fails  to  show  a  strong  contrast  to 
the  white.  To  offset  this  tendency,  breeders  with  a  dark 
slate  under  color  are  used,  those  being  preferred  which 
have  a  clear  white  surface  color  and  a  half  inch  to  an  inch 
of  bluish  slate  under  color  on  the  feathers,  running  to  white 
next  to  the  body. 

Both  the  single  or  standard  and  the  double  mating  systems 
are  used  in  breeding  this  variety.  The  single  mating  is 
more  common  and  is  advised. 

For  the  single  mating,  select  both  males  and  females  of 
standard  color  and  type  as  near  as  possible,  whose  hackle 
feathers  are  a  clear,  greenish  black  with  a  white  edge  run- 
ning all  the  way  around  the  ends  of  the  feathers.  The 
black  and  white  should  be  positive  and  distinct.     The  tail 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  115 

should  be  a  solid  greenish  black.  The  tail  coverts  of  the 
female  and  the  lesser  tail  coverts  of  the  male  should  be 
greenish  black  with  a  narrow  white  lacing.  The  saddle 
feathers,  especially  the  saddle  hangers,  have  a  little  narrow 
black  stripe  at  the  ends.  The  tail  coverts  of  the  male  should 
be  distinctly  and  narrowly  laced,  the  lacing  extending  the 
full  length  of  the  feathers  and  being  free  from  any  brown 
color.  In  surface  color,  both  sexes  should  be  a  clean,  dis- 
tinct white  with  a  bluish  slate  under  color,  or  even  quite  a 
dark  under  color,  even  to  the  extent  of  the  fluff  showing  a 
bluish  tinge  on  the  surface.  It  used  to  be  common  to  use 
females  showing  black  on  the  surface  of  the  back  in  order  to 
get  black  wing  feathers.  Such  females  are  not  now  in  favor 
as  breeders,  nor  are  males  showing  too  much  striping  in  the 
saddle.  To  attain  the  greatest  success,  keep  away  from 
breeders  with  pure  white  under  color  and  save  as  breeders 
those  showing  no  black  in  the  surface  of  white  sections.  It 
is  also  necessary  to  guard  against  brassiness,  as  this  is  a 
serious  defect.  Discard  any  brassy  birds  as  breeders. 
Brassiness  is  more  apparent  in  males  and  may  appear  on 
hackle,  back,  wing  bows  and  saddle  and  saddle  hangers. 
In  females  brassiness  is  most  likely  to  appear  in  the  white 
lacing  of  the  hackle. 

Cockerel  Mating. — In  using  the  double  mating  system, 
the  cockerel  mating  is  as  follows :  a  standard  colored  male 
with  strong  green  sheen  in  all  black  sections  is  desired.  The 
hackle  striping  should  be  clear  and  distinct  and  carried  all 
the  way  to  the  skin,  while  the  saddle  is  not  heavily  laced  and 
the  striping  runs  only  about  one-quarter  way  down  the 
feather  with  a  distinct  break  and  then  bluish  slate  under 
color.  The  back  should  be  absolutely  clean  in  color  and  the 
main  tail  a  solid  black  running  clear  to  the  base  of  the 
feathers.  The  fluff  should  be  white  with  bluish  slate  under 
color,  ending  with  white  at  the  skin. 

l^he  females  should  be  of  standard  type.  The  feathers 
should  be  broad.    The  hackle  lacing  should  come  well  around 


116  THE    MATING    AND    EREEDIN'G    OF    TOULTRY 

in  front  of  the  neck,  while  the  back  should  show  no  ticking 
in  surface.  The  under  color  of  back  should  be  a  strong 
bluish  white.  The  wings  should  show  strong  color,  the  black 
and  white  being  distinct  and  clearly  defined.  Good,  narrow, 
sharp  lacing  is  desired  in  the  tail  coverts.  In  general,  the 
females  for  this  mating  should  show  darker  color  tones  than 
the  standard  female. 

Pullet  mating. — Select  a  male  of  good  type  and  head 
points,  but  with  a  trifle  lighter  color  in  all  sections,  including 
under  color,  than  is  standard.  Both  the  hackle  and  saddle 
feathers  should  be  long  and  flowing,  and  very  slightly 
striped.  The  tail  should  be  profusely  feathered  with  coverts 
which  are  distinctly  and  narrowly  laced,  the  lacing  extend- 
ing the  full  length  of  the  feathers  and  being  free  from  any 
brown  color.  Strong  black  coloring  in  the  wing  primaries 
and  secondaries  is  very  important,  the  black  and  white  being 
distinct  and  free  from  peppering. 

The  females  of  this  mating  should  be  standard,  both  in 
type  and  color.  A  slate  under  color  of  fluff  is  desired.  The 
lacing  of  the  hackle  and  the  tail  coverts  should  be  as  distinct 
and  well  defined  as  possible. 

The  following  defects,  in  addition  to  those  common  to  the 
breed  (page  102),  should  be  guarded  against,  in  so  far  as 
possible,  in  breeding  this  variety :  stubs  and  down ;  too 
great  a  length  of  back ;  birds  with  too  light  or  faded  appear- 
ing markings ;  black  in  surface  of  back  of  females ;  pure 
white  under  color;  the  white  lacing  not  extending  clear 
around  the  ends  of  the  hackle  feathers  in  both  sexes. 

Additional  information  as  to  breeding  Columbian  color 
will  be  found  under  the  Light  Brahma  (page  134),  the  color 
scheme  of  which  is  identical  with  that  of  the  Columbian 
varieties.  It  must  be  kept  in  mind,  however,  that  the 
Columbian  A\Aandotte  is  a  newer  variety  than  the  Light 
Brahma,  and  that  it  has  not  as  yet  been  developed  to  the 
same  degree  of  perfection. 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  •  117 

The  Java 

The  type  of  the  Java  is  quite  distinctive.  It  is  a  good- 
sized  bird  and  has  a  body  rather  rectangular  in  outline,  with 
good  length  both  of  back  and  keel.  In  fact,  this  breed  is 
longest  in  body  of  any  of  the  American  breeds.  It  is  set  on 
legs  about  like  the  Plymouth  Rock,  but  not  so  low  as  the 
Wyandotte.  It  has  good  breadth  of  back  and  body  and  well- 
rounded,  prominent  breast.  In  general  type  it  is  much  like 
the  Rhode  Island  Red,  but  is  larger  and  has  a  longer  tail, 
carried  more  erect.  The  back  line  and  the  body  have  a  slight 
downward  slope  from  front  to  rear,  instead  of  being  level 
like  the  back  and  body  of  the  Rhode  Island  Red.  The 
carriage  of  tail  is  higher,  and  tail  and  back  join  in  a 
gradual    slope. 

There  is  a  tendency  in  this  breed  for  the  fowls  to  lack 
size,  especially  in  the  females,  and  along  with  this  lack  in 
size  goes  a"  lack  in  the  size  of  bone  and  a  shortness  of  back. 
There  is  also  somewhat  of  a  tendency  toward  stiltiness ; 
that  is,  the  legs  and  neck  are  too  long.  In  selecting  breeders, 
attention  must  be  given  to  keeping  up  the  size  of  body  and 
bone  and  the  length  of  back,  while  the  tendency  toward 
stiltiness  must  be  offset  by  the  selection  of  breeders  with 
shorter  necks  and  legs. 

The  comb,  which  is  single  and  upright,  should  be  a  little 
larger  than  that  of  the  Plymouth  Rock.  Some  of  the  combs 
come  too  large  and  in  the  females  many  are  inclined  to  lop. 
Too  small  combs  should  not  be  selected,  for  this  is  con- 
sidered by  some  breeders  to  be  associated  with  poorer  egg 
production.  There  is  an  inclination  toward  side  sprigs, 
especially  in  the  Mottled  variety. 

The  ear  lobes  should  be  red,  and  any  tendency  toward 
white  must  be  guarded  against  in  selecting  the  breeders ; 
but  here,  as  in  the  Plymouth  Rocks  (page  71),  paleness  or 
lack  of  color  due  to  poor  condition  must  not  be  considered 


118  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

as  serious  a  breeding  defect  as  positive  white.  This  is  more 
troublesome  in  the  IVIottled  than  in  the  Black  variety. 

The  eye  color  is  not  the  same  for  the  two  varieties,  being 
darker  or  more  on  the  black  in  the  Blacks  and  lighter  or 
more  on  the  red  in  the  Mottled.  In  both,  however,  there  is 
a  tendency  for  the  eyes  to  come  too  light,  especially  in  the 
Mottled,  which  sometimes  shows  a  pearl  eye. 

The  shanks  should  be  clean,  but  in  both  varieties  the 
occurrence  of  stubs  is  not  uncommon. 

In  breeding  Javas,  it  is  therefore  necessary  to  guard 
against  the  following  defects  in  so  far  as  possible :  too  small 
size,  especially  in  females  ;  back  not  long  enough  ;  bone  too 
fine ;  stiltiness,  that  is,  legs  and  neck  too  long ;  white  in  ear 
lobes ;  too  large  combs ;  lopped  combs  in  females ;  side 
sprigs  ;   stubs  ;   light  eyes. 

The  Black  Java 

In  breeding  this  variety,  only  the  single  or  standard 
mating  is  used. 

The  mating  is  essentially  like  that  of  other  black  matings. 
The  birds  of  both  sexes  should  be  as  near  standard  as  pos- 
sible, using  birds  with  pronounced  green  sheen  but  without 
any  purple.  Although  this  variety  is  quite  free  from  purple 
barring,  more  so,  in  fact,  than  most  black  fowls,  any  tend- 
ency in  this  direction  must  be  carefully  guarded  against. 
The  color  of  both  sexes  should,  of  course,  be  black  through- 
out, free  from  any  foreign  color,  which  is  most  apt  to  occur 
as  red  or  straw  in  hackle,  back,  wiiig  bows  and  saddle  of 
males,  or  as  white  or  gray  in  the  wings  and  at  the  root  of 
tail.  However,  this  white  is  not  very  prevalent  and  conse- 
quently not  very  troublesome.  The  under  color  should  also 
be  black.  There  is  somewhat  of  a  tendency  for  the  under 
color  to  lighten  in  hackle  of  male  and  somewhat  less  so  in 
back  and  saddle  of  male.  Black  legs  are  preferred  if  they 
can  be  found,  combined  with  yellow  bottoms  to  the  feet, 
but  where  legs  and  toes  are  black  the  feet  are  apt  to  be 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  119 

white  or  pink  on  the  bottom.  Where  the  legs  tend  toward  a 
willow  or  green  color,  the  bottoms  of  the  feet  are  more 
likely  to  be  yellow,  and  there  is  less  trouble  with  the  bottoms 
of  the  feet  coming  white  or  pink. 

In  breeding  this  variety  the  following  defects,  in  addition 
to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  118),  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible:  purple  barring;  red  or  straw 
in  hackle,  back,  wing  bow  and  saddle  of  males;  white  or 
gray  in  wings  and  at  root  of  tail ;  white  or  light  under  color 
in  hackle,  back  and  saddle  of  males ;  pink  or  white  bottoms 
to  the  feet. 

The  Mottled  Java 

As  with  the  Black  Java,  only  the  single  or  standard  mating 
is  used  in  breeding  this  variety. 

Breeders  of  both  sexes  should  be  selected  which  are  as 
near  standard  as  possible.  In  this  variety  there  is  a  tendency 
for  too  many  light-colored  birds.  There  is  also  a  tendency, 
especially  in  the  females,  to  show  more  white  with  each 
successive  molt.  Therefore  the  darker  colored  birds,  both 
males  and  females,  should  be  selected  as  breeders. 

The  white  tips  to  the  feathers  should  be  small  and  dis- 
tinct, so  that  they  afford  a  good  contrast  to  the  black  of  the 
feathers.  The  line  between  the  black  and  the  white  should 
be  as  distinctly  and  sharply  defined  as  possible,  so  that  the 
white  is  free  from  any  black  or  gray  color. 

There  is  a  tendency  for  birds  of  both  sexes,  but  more  to 
a  slight  extent  in  males,  to  show  too  many  white  feathers  in 
the  wing  bows.  Males  are  also  apt  to  show  red  or  brass  in 
the  hackle,  back,  wing  bow  and  saddle.  There  is  a  tendency 
toward  too  much  white  or  toward  solid  white  feathers  in  the 
tail  in  both  sexes.  Sometimes  males  come  with  a  solid  white 
tail.     Such  birds  should  not  be  tised  as  breeders. 

The  shank  should  not  be  too  dark  in  color,  but  should 
show  some  vellow.    It  is  not  desirable  to  select  breeders  with 


120 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


green  or  olive  legs.  There  is  not  as  much  trouble  in  this 
variety  as  in  the  Blacks  with  white  or  pink  bottoms  to  the 
feet  instead  of  yellow. 

In  mating  this  variety  the  following  defects,  in  addition 


/^/^C/r-L^ 


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^^///^  BOK-'  /V 


/3/?jf/!^3r  A7. 


^^' 


^^z?z2i/r/^ 


/'Li//^/=' /^AML^- 


/^ornL/^^  u^i^. 


/=zc//=rr  /^/!)^/r 


Fiff.   44.     "Well  marked  Mottled  Java  feathers.     M   indicates  male  and  F  fe- 
male.     (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States 
Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE   AMERICAN    CLASS  121 

to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  118),  should  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible :  birds  too  light  in  color ;  white 
tips  too  large ;  indistinct  white  tips  showing  some  black  or 
gray ;  too  many  white  feathers  in  wing  bows  of  both  males 
and  females ;  red  or  brass  in  hackle,  back,  wing  bow  and 
saddle  of  males  ;  green  or  olive  shanks  ;  white  in  tail ;  white, 
pinkish  or  flesh-colored  bottoms  of  feet. 

The  Dominique 

The  Dominique  is  in  type  much  on  the  Leghorn  or  Ham- 
burg order,  but  larger  in  size.  The  carriage  is  upright,  with 
a  general  appearance  of  alertness.  The  tail  is  carried 
slightly  higher  than  in  the  Leghorn  or  Hamburg.  It  is  well 
spread  and  in  the  male  is  furnished  with  long,  curved, 
sweeping  sickles.  The  comb,  which  is  rose,  should  be  prac- 
tically the  same  as  that  of  the  Hamburg,  although  larger  in 
proportion  to  the  size  of  the  fowl.  The  spike,  like  the  Ham- 
burg, turns  up  slightly  at  the  end. 

In  color  the  two  sexes  are  different.  The  female  has  a 
color  scheme  of  dark  bluish  slate  approaching  black,  and 
very  light  slate  approaching  white,  arranged  in  alternate, 
irregular  patches  or  bars  across  the  feather.  The  light  and 
dark  markings  are  about  equal  in  width.  The  under  color 
is  slate,  with  indistinct  barring.  The  male  is  one  or  two 
shades  lighter  in  color  than  the  female,  this  being  caused  by 
the  fact  that  the  light  markings  are  wider  than  the  dark. 
The  markings  as  a  whole  are  narrower  in  all  sections  than 
in  the  females. 

In  mating  this  variety,  only  the  single  or  standard  mating 
is  used,  ^^'hile  the  tendency  is  the  same  here  as  in  Barred 
Plymouth  Rocks,  for  the  males  to  come  lighter  than  the 
females,  the  single  mating  is  possible  because  the  standard 
calls  for  a  male  showing  this  lighter  shade  of  color. 

For  the  mating,  select  medium-colored  females,  with  rich 
yellow  legs  and  red  eyes.  Discard  the  females  which  have  a 
tendency  toward  more  of  the  dark  slate  than  the  light  slate 


122 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


markings,  as  they  are  too  dark  in  color  and  also  nearly 
always  show  black  on  the  front  of  the  legs.  Do  not  use  a 
female  which  has  not  a  well-spread  tail. 


Fig.    45.     Well    marked    Dominique    feathers.     Contrast    the    markings    with 

those  of  the  Barred  Plymouth  Rock  as  shown  in  Figs.  32  to  35.     M  indicates 

male    and    F    female.      (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry, 

United   States   Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  123 

Select  a  male  one  or  two  shades  lighter  than  the  females. 
He  should  have  upright  carriage,  long  curving  sickles  car- 
ried well  out.  clean  legs  and  red  eyes. 

Care  should  be  taken  to  see  that  the  comb  and  head  are 
good  in  both  sexes.  It  must  also  be  remembered  that  the 
breed  is  of  medium  size ;  therefore  birds  of  both  sexes 
should  not  be  over  standard  weight. 

The  following  defects  must  be  guarded  against,  in  so  far 
as  possible,  in  mating  this  breed :  pinched  tail ;  too  large 
comb ;  comb  not  straight  on  head ;  comb  with  hollow  center 
or  hollow  along  sides  ;  too  dark  color  in  females  ;  light  eyes  ; 
dark  or  black  on  legs  of  females  ;  stubs ;  shafting ;  brown- 
ish tinge  or  metallic  sheen  to  plumage. 

The  Single  Comb  Rhode  Island  Red 

In  size  this  breed  is  medium,  being  a  little  smaller  than  the 
Plymouth  Rock.  Birds  of  about  standard  weight  should  be 
selected  as  breeders.  Those  larger  than  standard  are  apt 
to  be  poorer  layers  and  breeders,  while  birds  much  smaller 
than  standard  should  not  be  used  as  there  is  somewhat  of 
a  tendency  for  the  individuals  of  this  breed  to  run  too 
small  in  size.  In  type  it  is  quite  distinct,  approaching  most 
nearly  that  of  the  Java,  than  which,  however,  it  is  smaller. 
The  body  of  the  Rhode  Island  Red  should  be  carried  per- 
fectly level  or  horizontal,  and  should  be  long,  approaching 
in  shape  as  seen  from  the  side  as  nearly  as  possible  to  an 
oblong  or  rectangle.  The  lines  of  back  and  keel  should  both 
be  level  and  parallel  to  one  another.  The  base  line  of  the 
wing  should  be  parallel  to  the  lines  of  back  and  keel  and 
the  wing  should  have  no  tendency  to  drop  down,  as  this  is 
a  serious  defect.  The  back  should  not  only  be  flat  from 
front  to  rear,  but  should  also  be  quite  flat  from  side  to  side, 
showing  no  tendency  to  slope  from  the  backbone  to  the 
side,  and  should  therefore  show  no  indication   of  a  ridge 


124  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

along  the  backbone.  In  this  respect  the  Rhode  Island  Red 
back  is  flatter  than  that  of  the  Java.  The  breast  must  be 
prominent  in  order  to  fill  out  the  rectangular  shape.  A  line 
dropped  through  the  base  of  the  beak  should  just  clear  the 
front  of  the  breast.  The  body  and  back  should  be  broad, 
and  this  breadth  should  be  carried  out  the  full  length  of 
back.  The  tail  should  be  well  spread  and  low  carried,  that 
is,  not  higher  than  standard,  in  both  sexes,  but  should  not 
be  drooping. 

The  bird  should  be  well  balanced,  that  is,  the  legs  should 
be  under  the  center  of  the  fowl.  The  shanks  should  be 
fairly  stout  and  of  medium  length,  but  not  so  long  as  to  give 
the  bird  a  stilty  appearance.  The  neck  also  should  be 
medium  in  length,  as  a  long  neck  also  tends  to  give  a  bird  a 
stilty  or  too  rang}^  appearance.  Shanks  should  be  a  good 
yellow  or  reddish  horn  color,  the  red  extending  to  the  end 
of  the  toes,  as  this  indicates  strong  breeding.  Legs  exceed- 
ingly yellow  in  color  are  apt  to  be  associated  with  too  light 
a  color  of  plumage.  The  shanks  and  toes  should  be  free 
from  stubs  and  down,  which  are  serious  faults  in  this  breed. 

The  comb  should  be  a  good,  clean-cut,  evenly-serrated, 
5-point  single  comb  of  fine  texture,  of  medium  size  and 
in  proportion  to  the  bird.  However,  the  comb  tends  to 
run  rather  large  and  also  rather  irregular  or  wavy  in 
shape  w^ith  uneven  serrations.  A  comb  which  is  a  little 
too  heavy,  if  clean,  of  fine  texture  and  evenly  serrated,  is 
preferable  to  the  irregular  combs,  as  these  are  very  trouble- 
some in  breeding.  There  is  a  noticeable  tendency  toward 
side  sprigs,  which  must  be  guarded  against.     See  Fig.  12. 

A  red  eye  is  very  desirable  in  breeders  of  both  sexes. 
However,  a  male  good  in  other  respects  should  not  be 
discarded  as  a  breeder  if  his  eye  is  bright  and  on  the  bay 
order.  The  color  of  the  eye  of  females  tends  to  fade 
with  laying,  so  that  many  hens  show  light  or  even  green 
eyes,  and  it  is  rather  difficult  to  find  good  eyes  in  old 
hens.     However,  hens  with  bright  eyes  on  the  bay  order 


THE   AMERICAN    CLASS  125 

were  probably  strong  in  eye  as  pullets  and  can  safely  be 
used  as  breeders. 

The  beak  should  be  reddish  horn  color.  Sometimes 
black  or  dark,  usually  as  a  streak,  is  present  in  the 
beak.  This  is  not  desired  and  should  be  selected  against. 
White  in  the  ear  lobes  occasionally  shows  and  while 
birds  with  this  defect  should  not  be  bred  if  it  can  be 
avoided,  it  is  not  very  common  or  very  troublesome  in 
this  breed. 

In  mating  the  Rhode  Island  Red,  a  double  mating  is 
often  employed  especially  for  the  sake  of  color.  How- 
ever, this  is  unnecessary  if  a  proper  selection  of  breeders 
is  made,  as  good  specimens  of  both  sexes  can  be  produced 
from  the  same  mating.  To  avoid  the  double  mating,  do 
not  attempt  to  use  the  extremely  dark  males,  as  the  fe- 
males from  them  are  often  poor  in  color,  tending  to  be 
mottled.  The  mating  should  consist  of  a  rich,  snappy 
colored  male  of  even  shade  in  hackle,  wing  bows,  back 
and  saddle,  but  not  of  extremely  dark  color,  and  females 
which  are  dark,  rich  and  even  in  color.  Individuals 
should  not  be  selected  for  mere  darkness  or  depth  of 
color.  In  addition  to  depth  of  color,  the  plumage  should 
be  a  lustrous,  bright  and  live  color  which  is  a  decided  red, 
and  not  a  flat,  dead  color  which  shows  as  brown  or  choc- 
olate. From  such  a  male,  the  pullets  produced  will  be 
much  more  uniform  and  a  greater  percentage  of  the  rich, 
soft,  even  color  so  much  admired  and  so  much  desired. 
From  such  a  mating  fine  stock  of  both  sexes  can  be 
produced. 

There  is  a  decided  tendency  for  the  birds  to  show  un- 
evenness  in  surface  color.  In  males,  the  hackle  and 
saddle  are  likely  to  be  lighter  than  the  back  and  wing 
bows,  and  in  females  the  hackle  is  often  a  lighter  color 
than  the  rest  of  the  surface.  Birds  of  even  color  are 
especially  desired  and  are  especially  valuable  as  breeders. 

The  females  for  the  mating  should  not  be  too  strong 


126 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


in  the  black  markings,  that  is,  they  should  not  show  too 
much  black  in  hackle  and  wings.  In  fact,  a  hackle  free 
from  black  ticking  and  wings  in  which  the  black  markings 
are  faint  are  preferable  in  females,  as  the  male  with  strong 
black  markings  in  wing  will  give  about  the  right  amount 
of  ticking  in  the  pullets.  If  the  black  markings  are 
strong  in  these  sections  of  the  females  and  also  in  the 
wing  of  the  male  there  will  be  a  tendency  to  produce 
black  lacing  in  the  hackles  of  the  male  offspring.  The 
male  used  in  the  mating  should  have  a  standard  black 
wing  marking  unless  it  becomes  necessary  to  use  females 
which  are  strong  in  the  black  of  wing  and  hackle,  in 
which  case  the  male  should  be  weak  in  the  black  of  wing 
markings,    but   extra    strong    in    rich,    deep    red    pigment. 

Smut  is  apt  to 
occur  in  under 
color  of  both 
sexes.  Never 
use  a  smutty 
bird  if  it  can  be 
avoided.  If  it 
becomes  desir- 
able or  neces- 
sary to  use  a  fe- 
male with  very 
dark  surface 
color,  and  fairly 
clear  under 
color,  but  show- 
ing just  a  tinge 
of  smut  and 
with  consider- 
able black  in 
wing,  be  sure 
that  she  is 
mated    with   a 


Fig.  46.     Single  Comb  Rhode  Island  Red  hen  show- 
ing split  wing  folded.     (Photograph   from  the   Bu- 
reau   of    Animal    Indiistry,    United    States    Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.) 


THE   AMERICAN    CLASS 


127 


male  absolutely  free  from  smut  and  not  too  heavy  in  black- 
points.  If  a  male  showing  smut  is  mated  with  heavy  colored 
females,  it  is  apt  to  show  as  black  in  the  surface  of  the 
pullets  produced  and  in  black-laced  hackles  in  the  cockerels. 

The  under  color  should  be  as  deep  a  red  as  possible. 
There  is  a  tendency  for  it  to  run  too  light  and  in  the 
hackle,  back  and  saddle  of  males  especially  it  may  even 
be  white.  This  white  often  develops  with  age,  so  that 
its  occurrence  in  a  male  which  was  sound  as  a  cockerel  is 
not  such  a  serious  defect. 

Rhode  Island  Reds,  especially  females,  usually  fade  in 
color  up  to  the  time  of  molting.     This  is  in  consequence 


Fiff.  47.     Same  hen  as  shown  in  Fig.  46  with  winpr  spread  to  show  the  split 

in  wing.      (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States 

Department  of  Agriculture.) 


a  poor  time  of  year  to  judge  as  to  their  color  quality. 
The  color  of  the  plumage  of  hens  is  generally  better  after 
the  molt  than  just  before,  but  this  is  not  always  true,  and 


128  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 

few  hens  ever  approximate  their  pullet  color.  A  good 
deal  depends  in  this  particular  upon  the  time  and  manner 
of  molting  and  upon  the  condition  of  the  bird.  A  hen 
exhausted  by  heavy  laying  is  not  apt  to  molt  in  so  well 
as  one  that  has  not  been  laying  so  heavily.  A  hen  which 
molts  gradually  is  apt  to  show  a  mottled  color  when  the 
molt  is  completed,  due  to  the  fading  of  the  first  feathers 
grown  by  the  time  the  last  are  in.  Occasionally  hens 
show  a  considerable  number  of  white  tips  to  the  hackle 
feathers  after  the  molt  and  often  they  will  show  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  black  in  the  surface,  even  though 
they  were  free  from  this  color  before  they  molted.  Con- 
sequently, a  knowledge  of  the  pullet  form  of  hens  with 
respect  to  color  is  important  for  intelligent  mating,  and 
it  is  extremely  valuable  to  make  notes  on  the  young 
stock  as  a  guide  for  future  breeding.  Hens  which  return 
to  good  color  after  the  molt,  approaching  as  closely  as 
possible  their  color  as  pullets,  are  preferable  is  breeders. 

It  is  impossible  to  judge  the  quality  of  stock  as  to 
color  from  the  color  of  the  day-old  chicks.  Often  the 
best  colored  stock  will  show  a  very  light  colored  down 
as  chicks. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  Black  in  beak ; 
too  large  or  too  small  birds ;  males  with  too  long  and  too 
thin  shanks;  white  in  ear  lobes;  too  large  and  irregular 
combs ;  uneven  serrations  and  points  of  irregular  lengths 
in  combs;  side  sprigs;  too  light  eyes;  too  much  ticking 
in  hackle  of  females;  narrow  backs  and  pinched  tails  in 
both  sexes ;  stubs  and  down ;  legs  too  yellow  and  lacking 
in  horn  color;  deficient  breasts,  especially  in  males;  smut 
in  under  color;  white  in  under  color,  especially  in  hackle, 
back  and  saddle  of  males;  black  in  surface,  especially  on 
shoulders  of  both  sexes  and  in  hackle  of  males;  uneven 
shade  of  color  in  both  sexes ;  slipped  or  split  wings. 


THE    AMERICAN    CLASS  129 

The  Rose  Comb  Rhode  Island  Red 

This  variety  is  identical  in  color  and  type  with  the 
Single  Comb  Rhode  Island  Red.  In  mating,  therefore, 
exactly  the  same  principles  are  to  be  observed  except  in 
the  matter  of  comb,  which  is  rose.  It  is  necessary  to 
guard  against  combs  in  both  sexes  which  are  too  large 
or  too  high,  in  which  the  spike  does  not  tend  to  follow 
the  neck,  and  which  show  hollows  either  along  the  side 
or  in  the  center  of  the  top. 

The  Buckeye 

This  breed  is  one  of  the  newer  American  breeds  and 
is  not  very  common.  While  the  standard  calls  for  a  bird 
which  resembles  in  appearance  most  nearly  the  Cornish, 
as  a  matter  of  fact  the  birds  as  found  seem  to  be  more  on 
the  Rhode  Island  Red  type.  They  differ  from  the  Rhode 
Island  Red  in  not  being  quite  so  rectangular  in  outline, 
and  in  not  having  quite  as  deep  or  low-carried  a  breast, 
while  the  body  slopes  slightly  from  the  front  to  the  rear. 
There  is  a  tendency  for  the  birds  of  this  breed  to  come 
too  shallow  in  body.  This  should  be  guarded  against,  as 
birds  deep  in  body  are  desired.  Any  tendency  toward 
the  Wyandotte  shape  should  be  avoided,  as  the  body  is 
more  oblong  than  round.  The  Buckeye  is  the  only  breed 
of  the  American  Class  which  has  a  pea  comb.  The  shape 
of  comb  runs  very  good,  in  fact,  this  is  one  of  the  most 
perfect  sections  of  the  breed.  The  tail  should  be  carried 
low  and  should  be  well  spread.  This  breed  is  a  moder- 
ately close-feathered  bird,  being  almost  like  the  Rhode 
Island  Red  in  this  respect. 

In  mating  this  breed,  the  single  or  standard  mating  is 
used.  Select  both  males  and  females  which  are  deep  and 
long  in  body,  and  in  which  the  body  is  only  slightly  off 
the  horizontal.     In  color,  select  birds  which  are  a  nice. 


130  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

deep,  rich  red,  avoiding  birds  which  run  to  a  chocolate. 
A  smoky  bar  in  the  under  color  of  the  back  is  allowed  in 
this  breed. 

It  is  necessary  to  select  birds  w^hich  are  strong  in  wing 
color,  as  there  is  a  tendency  for  a  decided  weakness  here. 
The  black  sections  of  the  w^ngs  are  apt  to  be  peppery 
instead  of  solid  black  and  the  same  holds  true  to  some 
extent  in  the  tail.  It  is  also  necessary  to  avoid  any  black 
in  the  surface  of  the  body.  What  is  desired  in  the  color 
of  the  breed  is  an  even  shade  of  rich,  dark  red  color.  In 
the  male,  the  hackle,  saddle  and  back  should  match  as 
closely  as  possible.  In  the  female  the  color  should  be 
even  all  over  and  as  free  from  chocolate  as  possible. 
This  chocolate  color  should  also  be  avoided  in  the  breast 
of  the  male. 

In  selecting  the  mating  in  Buckeyes,  it  is  necessary  to 
guard  against  the  following  defects  in  so  far  as  possible : 
Too  shallow  body;  any  tendency  toward  Wyandotte 
shape ;  any  tendency  toward  chocolate  color  in  surface  of 
female  or  breast  of  male ;  any  tendency  toward  white  ear 
lobes;  stubs  (this  is  especially  likely  to  occur  in  the 
larger  birds)  ;  peppery  color  in  tail ;  black  in  surface ; 
uneven  shade  of  hackle,  back  and  saddle  of  male ;  uneven 
surface  color  in  female. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE   ASIATIC   CLASS 

The  Brahma 

The  Brahma  is  the  largest  of  the  standard  varieties  of 
chickens.  The  large  body,  of  proportionate  length, 
breadth  and  depth,  and  well-rounded  breast  standing  well 
up  on  legs  gives  the  breed  a  majestic  appearance.  An 
excessive  fluff  may  give  a  bird  the  appearance  of  greater 
depth  than  it  actually  possesses.  In  type,  the  Light  and 
the  Dark  Brahma  are  identical,  but  in  size  the  Light  is 
about  one  pound  heavier  than  the  Dark.  In  order  to 
secure  the  desired  size  in  the  offspring,  it  is  preferable 
to  use  females  of  standard  size,  good  frame  and  bone, 
rather  than  males  which  are  standard  or  larger  than 
standard,  as  such  males  are  apt  to  be  less  active  and  less 
satisfactory  breeders.  Many  birds,  however,  which  have 
the  desired  size,  frame  and  bone,  will  not,  when  in  breeding 
condition,  reach  standard  weights.  In  the  Dark  variety 
there  is  somewhat  of  a  tendency  for  the  birds  to  fail  in 
size  so  that  the  large  birds  should  be  used  as  breeders. 
It  is  important  that  the  length  of  body,  the  higher  station, 
the  more  compact  feathering  of  body  and  the  less  profuse 
feathering  of  flufif.  toes  and  legs  be  maintained  in  order 
to  keep  the  type  distinct  from  the  Cochin,  which  there  is 
some  tendency  for  the  Brahma  to  approach.  In  general, 
the  birds  used  as  breeders  should  be  rather  oblong  in 
shape,  and  those  tending  to  be  heart-shaped  or  those 
stjuare-shaped  should  be  avoided. 

The  head  is  distinctive.  The  head  should  be  wide,  the 
skull  projecting  over  the  eyes.  There  is  somewhat  of  a 
tendency  for  the  heads  of  females  to  be  narrow  or  snaky 

131 


132  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 

in  appearance  and  this  must  be  avoided.  The  color  of 
eye  tends  to  come  good  in  both  varieties.  The  comb, 
w^hich  is  pea,  adds  distinctiveness  to  the  head.  It  should 
be  small  and  neat  and  regularly  formed,  show^ing  its  pea 
character  distinctly.  See  Fig.  2,  heads  2  and  3,  and 
Fig.  3,  head  2.  In  the  males  there  is  a  tendency  for 
the  comb  to  run  too  large  or  coarse.  If  it  becomes 
necessary  to  use  a  male  v^^hose  comb  is  at  all  coarse  or 
irregular,  it  is  important  to  offset  this  by  using  females 
with  very  small,  even  combs.  The  w^attles  should  be 
rather  small  and  almost  round,  but  the  tendency  tow^ard 
too  small  wattles,  which  is  evident  in  some  males,  must 
be  avoided,  as  it  gives  them  a  feminine  appearance.  The 
ear  lobes  are  rather  large  and  pendulous. 

The  neck  should  be  medium  in  length,  thick  and  well 
arched,  and  there  should  be  a  smooth  blending  of  the 
hackle  and  back  so  that  no  distinct  angle  is  formed.  The 
shape  of  neck  will  usually  be  good  if  the  length  of 
feathers  is  good  and  in  proportion.  No  matter  how  good 
the  color  in  this  section,  do  not  use  a  male  with  short 
length  of  hackle  feathers.  The  wings  should  be  well 
bowed,  that  is,  curved  or  sprung  so  that  they  conform  to 
the  body  shape  and  carry  out  the  curve  of  the  back  over  the 
side  of  the  body,  and  carried  high  enough  to  give  a  broad 
appearance  to  the  back.  The  primaries  and  secondaries 
should  be  carried  tightly  folded  and  held  in  place.  Avoid 
as  breeders  birds  with  *'flat  wings"  or  with  loose  or 
slipped  wings.  See  Fig.  53.  The  broad  back  is  carried 
out  to  a  good  length  and  is  supplemented  by  a  well- 
spread  tail,  which  carries  out  the  breadth  of  back.  See 
Fig.  48.  The  use  of  females  with  well-spread  tails  and 
having  a  plentiful  supply  of  feathers  which  lap  well  up 
on  to  the  tail  coverts  will  produce  long  saddle  hangers 
in  males,  which  are  greatly  desired.  The  tail  is  carried 
at  a  medium  height  in  the  male  and  somewhat  lower  in 
the  female.     The  body  and  keel  are  long  in  proportion 


THE   ASIATIC    CLASS 


133 


to  the  back,  the  breast  well  rounded.  A  sloping  or 
shallow  breast,  such  as  is  sometimes  found  on  males,  is 
undesirable  and  is  especially  likely  to  occur  in  cockerels. 
The  whole  body  is  full  and  rounded. 

The  Brahma  male  stands  fairly  well  up  on  his  legs  so 
that  he  has  a  rather  active  appearance,  but  he  should 
not  be  so  high 
as  to  appear 
leggy.  The  fe- 
male is  perhaps 
a  trifle  lower  set 
i  n  proportion 
than  the  male. 
The  best  shaped 
cockerels  are  apt 
to  be  out  of  fe- 
males set  a  trifle 
lower  than 
standard.  Cock- 
erels out  of  fe- 
males which  are 
standard  in  this 
respect  are 
often  too  leggy. 
The  bone  of  the 
legs  should  be 
heavy  and  of 
good  substance 
and  should  not 
tend  to  be  light 
or  small. 

While    the 
shank    and    the 

outer  and  middle  toes  should  be  feathered,  this  feathering 
should  be  medium  and  should  neither  tend  to  be  very  light, 
in  which  case  the  middle  toe  is  apt  to  be  bare,  nor  so  heavy 


Fig.  48 — Light  Brahma  male.  Notice  the  well-spread 
tail  and  the  hocks  covered  with  short,  soft  feathers 
which  in  no  way  approach  vulture  hocks.  (Photo- 
graph from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


134  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 

as  to  approach  the  toe  feathering  of  the  Cochin.  If  it  be- 
comes necessary  to  breed  a  bird  which  tends  to  be  extreme 
in  toe  feathering  in  either  direction,  this  should  be  balanced 
by  the  toe  feathering  of  the  opposite  sex.  Birds  with  stiff  toe 
feathering  are  apt  to  breed  vulture  hocks,  which  are  more 
prevalent  in  Dark  than  in  Light  Brahmas.  See  Figs.  48 
and  53.  If,  as  occasionally  happens,  it  is  desirable  to 
breed  a  bird,  usually  a  female,  with  vulture  hocks,  she 
should  be  mated  with  a  male  which  is  scant  and  very 
soft  in  hock  feathering.  It  is  important,  however,  to 
avoid  breeding  birds  which  have  vulture  hocks,  if  this 
can  possibly  be  done,  as  this  defect  is  likely  to  crop  out 
again  and  again. 

The  feathering  of  Brahmas,  while  heavy,  is  quite  com- 
pact and  should  have  none  of  the  excessive  fluffiness  of 
the  Cochin,  which  is  particularly  marked  in  fluff,  front 
of  thighs,  under  part  of  body,  cushion  and  leg  and  toe 
feathering.  The  feathering  should  be  tight  or  compact 
enough  to  render  the  birds  deceptive  as  to  weight.  In 
breeding  Brahmas,  the  following  defects  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible :  square-shaped  birds ; 
heart-shaped  birds ;  short  backs ;  lack  of  breadth  of  back ; 
too  low  on  legs;  flat  or  shallow  breast,  particularly  in 
miles ;  tendency  toward  the  Cochin  type ;  slim,  narrow 
or  snaky  heads,  particularly  in  females;  too  high  combs 
and  too  small  wattles  in  males ;  tails  not  well  spread;  too 
high  or  too  leggy  appearance  in  males ;  too  small  or  too 
fine  bone  of  legs  and  shanks ;  middle  toe  feathering 
absent  or  scanty;  too  heavy  shank  or  toe  feathering; 
vulture  hocks ;  lack  of  compactness  or  too  fluffy  char- 
acter of  feathering;  size  above  standard;  under-sized 
birds;  flat  wings;  loose  or  slipped  wings. 

The  Light  Brahma 

In  breeding  this  variety,  the  single  or  standard  mating 
is  commonly  used.     It  frequently  happens,  however,  that 


THE    ASIATIC    CLASS 


135 


the  best  females  come  from  one  female  in  the  mating  and 
the  best  males  from  another,  but  it  is  seldom  that  the 
best  males  and  females  come  from  the  same  hen.     Fe- 


S'/P.^E?:^i5'^  ^. 


A/,4C/tZ^  ^ 


^//^<^  ^O/^y^. 


>i</A'G'^C 


w 


y^^c-^^^^y^ 


'A 


y^Z^y^y^  /V 


Fig.    49 — Well-marked    Ligrht    Brahma    feathe~s.     M    indicates    male    and    F 
female.     (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animai    Industry,    United    States 
«>  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


136  THE    MATING   AND    DREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

males  which  stand  well  up  on  legs  seldom  produce  good- 
shaped  males,  while  low-set  females  seldom  produce 
good-shaped  females.  Birds  of  both  sexes  should  be  as 
near  standard,  both  in  type  and  color,  as  possible,  with 
special  emphasis  laid  on  certain  points.  However,  the 
breeding  back  of  the  birds  is  even  more  important  than 
the  extreme  excellence  of  their  markings.  The  black 
and  white  of  the  plumage  wants  to  be  distinct  in  color 
and  there  should  be  a  sharp  and  clean-cut  line  between 
the  two  colors,  with  no  tendency  for  them  to  run  into 
one  another  so  as  to  produce  indistinct  or  smutty  mark- 
ings. As  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  lacing  in  the  hackle 
of  both  sexes  to  be  indistinct,  this  must  be  guarded 
against.  The  lacings  should  be  of  a  silvery  white  color 
and  no  gray  or  brown  cast  should  appear  anywhere  in 
the  plumage.  Use  specimens  which  show  a  bluish  white 
or  even  a  slate  under  color,  as  such  birds  tend  to  produce 
a  better  surface  color.  As  there  is  a  tendency  for  the 
under  color  to  become  lighter  in  this  breed,  select  birds 
as  breeders  having  an  under  color  slightly  darker  than 
that  desired  in  the  offspring. 

In  selecting  a  male,  use  one  with  a  long,  wide  back  and 
a  well-spread  tail  which  carries  out  the  width  of  back. 
Be  sure  to  keep  away  from  the  Cochin  type.  The  breast 
should  be  particularly  full  and  the  hackle  should  come 
around  well  in  front  of  the  neck.  As  there  is  a  tendency 
for  the  black  stripe  in  the  hackle  to  extend  through  the 
end  of  the  feathers,  select  males  in  which  the  white 
edging  extends  clear  around  the  end  of  the  hackle 
feathers.  The  black  stripe  of  the  hackle  feathers  should 
be  broad,  the  white  edging  narrow  and  the  line  of  de- 
marcation between  the  two  should  be  distinct.  If  a 
male  is  used  having  comparatively  wide  white  edging  to 
the  hackle  feathers,  the  females  mated  to  him  should 
have  extremely  narrov*^  white  lacing  in  the  hackle.  The 
deeper  the  black  stripe  of  the  male's  hackle  runs  into  the 


THE  ASIATIC!   CLASS 


137 


under  color  without  a  break,  the  better  will  be  the  hackles 
in  the  offspring.  A  striping  in  the  hackle  feathers  of  the 
male  which  is  of  uniform  width  throughout  nearly  its 
entire  length  and  terminating  rather  abruptly  in  a  V- 
shaped  point  is  preferable  to  a  striping  which  tapers 
more  gradually  to  a  point,  as  it  produces  better  shaped 
black  centers  in  the  hackle  feathers  of  females.  The 
male  should  also  be  laced  to  a  certain  extent  on  the 
back  at  the  base  of  the  tail.     See  Fig.  50.     Males  show- 


Fig.  50 — Light  Brahma  male  showing  good  wing  markings  and  the  lacing 

of  some  of  the  feathers  of  the  back  at  the  base  of  the  tail.      (Photograph 

from    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States    Department    of 

Agriculture.) 


ing  this  lacing  and  at  the  same  time  a  bluish  white  or 
slate  under  color  are  more  likely  to  be  free  from  brass, 
while  those  with  plain  backs,  that  is,  showing  no  black, 
and  with  white  under  color,  tend  toward  a  straw  or  yellow 
surface  color,  which  it  is  important  to  eliminate.     Bras- 


138  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

siness  in  males  can  be  largely  eliminated  in  a  few  gener- 
ations by  breeding  to  females  with  dark  under  color. 
Males  should  not  have  too  much  coloring  in  hackle  and 
saddle,  as  with  this  excess  color  is  likely  to  go  black 
ticking  in  throat,  breast  and  fluff.  Watch  out  for 
males  showing  purple  barring  in  the  black  of  tail  and 
hackle,  as  this  is  undesirable.  In  order  to  secure  the 
solid  black  tails  desired  in  males,  male  birds  must  be 
selected  as  breeders  whose  main  tail  and  sickle  feathers 
run  black  clear  to  the  skin.  If  it  becomes  necessary  to 
use  a  male  showing  some  gray  in  this  section,  it  is  very 
important  to  use  females  which  have  no  gray  or  white 
at  the  base  of  the  main  tail  feathers.  Be  sure  that  the 
primary  feathers  of  the  male  are  a  deep  distinct  black 
and  avoid  any  tendency  tow-ard  a  brownish  black  in  this 
section.  See  Fig.  50.  Gray  in  wings  of  either  male  or 
female  should  be  avoided  unless  it  is  due  to  injury. 
White  spots  in  the  primaries  of  females,  while  not  de- 
sirable, are  not  serious  if  the  male  to  which  they  are 
mated  has  good  black  wing  color  with  which  to  coun- 
teract it. 

The  females  should  also  have  wide  backs,  well-spread 
tails  and  distinctly  laced  hackle  feathers  coming  well  around 
in  front  of  the  throat.  They  should  be  well  up  on  legs  and 
well  away  from  the  Cochin  type.  In  the  earlier  days  of  the 
breed,  as  in  Columbian  Wyandottes  and  Plymouth  Rocks,  it 
was  difficult  to  get  females  with  good  strong  black  markings 
in  hackle,  wing  and  tail  without  black  cropping  out  in  the 
surface  of  the  back.  Now,  however,  black  seldom  shows 
in  the  surface,  although  it  is  found  to  some  extent  in  the 
web  of  the  feathers  or  as  a  black  ticking.  This  ticking  is 
most  serious  in  females  having  good  black  wings,  hackle 
and  tail,  and  must  be  guarded  against.  It  is  most  important 
never  to  use  a  male  which  has  black  in  the  web  of  the  feath- 
ers of  the  back,  while  gray  or  brown  in  this  section  is  even 
worse  than  the  black  and  should  not  be  tolerated.     Good 


THE   ASIATIC    CLASS 


139 


females  can  rarely  be  secured  from  such  a  male,  as  brown 
or  black  will  appear  in  the  surface  of  the  back.  Experi- 
enced breeders  sometimes  use  dark  under-colored  females 
that  have  a  slight  amount  of  dark  specks  or  ticking  running 
up  into  the  web  of  the  feathers  of  the  back  in  order  to 
intensify  or  improve  the  black  markings  of  the  flock.  This 
should  only  be  resorted  to,  however,  when  the  breeder  is 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  breeding  tendencies  of  his 
stock,  and  is  a  dangerous  practice  for  the  amateur,  as  it  is 
likely  to  cause  an  increase  of  the  black  in  the  surface  color 
of  the  flock.  This  class  of  females,  mated  to  a  male  with 
clean  back,  will  produce  the  best  laced  saddles  on  the  male 
offspring,  while  the  female  offspring  will  generally  be  clean 
on  the  back.  Females  with  light  under  color  and  with  black 
in  the  web  of   feathers  of  the  back  should  not  be  used. 


Fip:.    51 — Light    Brahma    female    showing'    good    bluwh    slate    undercolor. 
(Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States    De- 
partment of  Agriculture.) 


Females  with  a  good  bluish  slate  under  color  are  best  as 
breeders.  See  Fig.  51.  Attention  must  also  be  given  to 
the  lacing  of  the  tail  coverts  in  both  sexes.  Too  heavy  lacing 
in  these  feathers  is  not  desired,  and  if  necessary  to  use 


140  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 

breeders  of  one  sex  showing  this,  it  must  be  offset  by  using 
breeders  of  the  opposite  sex  with  extremely  narrow  lacing. 
The  lacing  here  and  in  the  hackle  should  be  clear  cut  and 
distinct,  with  no  tendency  for  the  black  to  run  into  the  white 
or  the  white  into  the  black.     See  Fig.  50. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects,  in  addition 
to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  134),  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible :  indistinct  contrast  between  the 
black  and  white ;  indistinct  lacing  in  hackle  of  both  sexes ; 
too  light  under  color  in  both  sexes ;  the  white  lacing  of 
hackle  feathers  of  both  sexes  not  extending  clear  around  the 
end  of  the  feathers ;  no  lacing  on  back  at  base  of  tail  in 
males ;  brassy  surface  color  in  males ;  black  ticking  in 
throat,  breast  and  fluff  of  male ;  purple  barring  in  the  black 
of  male's  tail  and  hackle ;  black  or  black  ticking  in  back  of 
females ;  too  heavy  lacing  in  tail  coverts  of  females  ;  indis- 
tinct or  smutty  lacing  in  hackle  and  tail  coverts  of  females ; 
main  tail  and  sickle  feathers  not  black  clear  to  the  skin ; 
brown  cast  in  the  primary  wing  feathers  of  males ;  gray  in 
wings  of  both  sexes ;  white  spots  in  the  primaries  of  females. 

The  Dark  Brahma 

In  breeding  this  variety  it  is  usual  to  employ  the  double 
mating  system.  The  natural  drift  for  the  person  who  does 
not  know  much  about  breeding  Dark  Brahmas,  and  who 
does  not  double  mate,  is  toward  the  cockerel  mating. 

Cockerel  mating. — The  male  for  this  mating  should  be 
standard,  and  as  in  all  double-mated  varieties,  must  be  bred 
from  a  cockerel  mating  line.  The  color  of  eye  must  be  good, 
as  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  exhibition  males  to  have  gray 
eyes.  Often  in  trying  to  produce  males  with  black  breasts 
and  body,  the  hackle  will  tend  to  be  smutty,  that  is,  there 
will  be  a  tendency  for  the  black  to  run  into  the  white  edging. 
A  bird  with  clear  striping  of  hackle  is  desirable  and  should 
be  used  if  possible,  and  if  a  male  with  cloudy  or  smutty 


THE   ASIATIC    CLASS 


141 


hackle  has  to  be  used,  this  condition  must  be  counterbalanced 
by  the  clear  striping  of  the  female  hackle.  There  is  also  a 
tendency  for  the  black  stripe  of  the  hackle  and  saddle 
feathers  to  run  the  entire  length  of  the  feathers,  extending 
through  the  white  edging  at  the  ends  of  the  feathers.  This 
often  occurs  when  there 
is  too  much  black  in  the 
under  color  of  the  hackle, 
and,  in  fact,  is  quite  likely 
to  occur  in  most  males 
that  have  a  good  dark 
under  color  and  clear 
striping.  Such  males,  in 
which  the  black  stripe 
does  not  run  through  the 
ends  of  the  hackle  feath- 
ers, are  therefore  valuable 
breeders.  There  is  also  a 
tendency  for  the  hackle  to 
come  light  in  under  color 
and  for  this  light  color  to 
run  along  the  shaft  of  the 
feathers.  The  under  color 
of  the  back  and  saddle  is 
also  inclined  to  run  light 
and  must  be  guarded 
against.  A  good  slate 
under  color  is  desired. 
There  is  some  tendency 
toward  brown  on  the 
shoulders.  The  breast  usually  comes  good  and  black,  but 
sometimes  shows  some  white  ticking.  See  Fig.  53.  The 
fluff  frequently  shows  white  ticking  or  even  so  much  white 
or  gray  as  to  appear  frosty  or  grizzly.  The  use  of  dark 
females  from  a  male  line  assists  in  getting  rid  of  this  defect. 
White  sometimes  occurs  at  the  base  of  the  main  sickles  and 


Tig.  52 — Cockerel  bred  Dark  Brahma 
male  showing  solid  black  breast.  Con- 
trast with  pullet  bred  male  Fig.  53. 
Notice  the  white  in  the  toe  feathers. 
(Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture.) 


142  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 

also  in  the  leg  and  toe  feathers,  which  should  be  avoided  as 
much  as  possible.  See  Fig.  53.  White  feathers  develop  in 
the  wings  with  age,  showing  frequently  at  two  years  of  age. 
All  black  sections  must  have  a  good  green  luster,  free  from 
purple. 

The  females  for  this  mating  should  not  be  the  light 
silvery  color,  as  seen  in  the  exhibition  female,  but  should  be 
dark,  although  not  approaching  a  brownish  cast.  It  is  essen- 
tial that  the  hackle  should  be  well  and  clearly  striped  with 
black  and  edged  with  silver  in  order  to  produce  good  hackles 
in  the  males.  It  is  very  necessary  that  the  females  be  out 
of  a  straight  cockerel  line.  The  penciling  need  not  be  as 
clear  as  in  the  exhibition  female.  It  is  important  that  the 
females  be  out  of  a  male  that  possesses  a  good  saddle,  as 
this  is  one  of  the  hardest  points  to  get  in  the  exhibition  male. 
It  is  also  important  that  eyes  and  comb  be  good. 

Pullet  mating. — The  male  should,  of  course,  be  bred 
from  a  pullet  line,  and  one  should  know  the  females  he  is 
out  of  for  at  least  two  generations  back.  At  a  distance  the 
pullet-bred  male  looks  a  good  deal  like  the  exhibition  male, 
but  in  general  he  is  a  lighter  colored  bird.  He  will  not  have 
as  much  black  in  his  feathers  and  will  be  more  or  less 
mottled  with  white  in  breast  and  fluff.  See  Fig.  53.  His 
shoulders  or  wing  bows  will  also  be  whiter  or  more  silvery 
and  his  wing  flights  and  secondaries  will  show  more  light 
than  the  exhibition  male.  The  striping  is  not  as  distinct,  the 
saddle  striping  being  more  or  less  broken.  Often  the  white 
or  silver  will  form  bars  across  the  feathers,  particularly  in 
the  hackle,  saddle  and  flight  feathers.  This  white  or  silver 
bar  should  be  fought  against  as  much  as  possible.  Often 
the  hackle  is  like  that  of  the  exhibition  male,  but  if  the  bird 
is  bred  right,  the  marking  in  the  hackle  does  not  make  much 
difference.  iMany  pullet-brcd  males,  while  still  in  their 
chick  plumage,  show  some  penciling,  especially  in  the  wings, 
but  as  they  gain  their  mature  plumage  this  penciling  is 
wholly  or  largely  lost.     Males  showing  good  penciling  in 


THE   ASIATIC    CLASS 


143 


their  chick  feathers  are  as  a  rule  valuable  pullet  breeders, 
but  since  they  lose  this  penciling  later,  it  is  necessary  to  judge 
their  quality  in  this  respect  while  they  still  have  their  chick 
feathers. 

The  females  for  this  mating  should  be  standard,  both  in 
type  and  color,  and,  of  course,  bred  from  a  pullet  line.  They 
should  be  of  a 
light,  soft  sil- 
very color  with 
clear,  distinct 
concentric  pen- 
ciling. There  is 
a  tendency  for 
pullets  of  the 
pullet  line  to  be 
far  too  light  in 
throat  and  up- 
per breast.  It 
must  be  remem- 
bered, however, 
that  the  females 
grow  darker 
with  age,  so  that 
such  pullets  are 
apt  to  be  excel- 
lent in  mark- 
ings and  color  after  they  have  molted  in  as  hens.  On  the 
other  hand  the  better  penciled  pullets  also  darken  with  age 
and  are  not  so  good  as  hens,  tending  to  show  too  coarse  a 
penciling  in  hackle.  Obviously  the  lighter  pullets  should  not 
be  discarded  as  breeders  until  they  are  molted  in  as  hens 
and  a  chance  obtained  to  judge  their  quality.  Females 
which  are  especially  good  in  penciling  of  throat  and  breast 
are  apt  to  lose  in  penciling  of  lower  back  and  tail  and  vice 
versa.  Good  penciling  in  the  fluff  of  exhibition  or  pullet- 
bred  females  is  hard  to  get^  but  is  very  desirable.    There  is 


Fier.  53 — Pullet  bred  Dark  Brahma  male  showing 
white  mottling  in  breast  and  fluff.  Notice  the  vul- 
ture hock  and  the  slipped  wing.  (Photograph  from 
the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  De- 
partment of  Agriculture.) 


144 


THE    MATING   AND   BREEDING   OF   POULTRY 


a  tendency  for  a  brown  cast  to  develop  with  age,  which  is, 
of  course,  undesirable. 

Some  breeders  advocate  a  single  mating  in  this  variety. 
Where  this  practice  is  followed,  birds  of  both  sexes  should 


Tig.  54— Well-marked  Dark  Brahma  feathers.     M   indicates  male  and  F  fe- 
male.    (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States 
Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE    ASIATIC    CLASS  145 

be  selected  which  are  as  near  standard  as  possible.  It  is 
very  important,  however,  to  know  the  breeding  of  the  male, 
especially  so  far  as  the  female  line  is  concerned,  if  good 
pullets  are  to  be  expected  from  the  mating.  Dependence  on 
the  knowledge  of  the  breeding  in  the  female  line  is  necessary 
because  there  is  not  much  in  the  male's  plumage  by  which 
the  beginner  can  judge  of  his  quality  as  a  pullet  breeder. 
Males  for  this  mating  may  be  selected  with  under  color  a 
little  lighter  than  the  standard  calls  for,  as  too  dark  an 
under  color  is  likely  to  result  in  too  dark  ground  color  in 
his  female  ofifspring.  The  male  may  also  show  some  frost- 
ing in  lower  breast  and  fluff,  but  he  should  be  as  near  black 
as  possible  up  imder  the  throat,  as  white  in  that  section  is 
likely  to  result  in  females  which  are  too  light  there.  A 
male  showing  some  penciling,  especially  in  the  wings,  while 
in  chick  plumage,  if  he  develops  into  a  good  quality  exhibi- 
tion male  is  especially  valuable  as  a  breeder  for  this  mating, 
since  he  has  the  potential  power  to  produce  both  males  and 
females  of  good  quality.    See  Fig.  52. 

The  following  defects,  in  addition  to  those  common  to  the 
breed  (page  134),  must  be  guarded  against,  in  so  far  as 
possible,  in  mating  this  variety : 

In  exhibition  males  :  gray  eyes ;  cloudy  or  smutty  hackle ; 
hackle  and  saddle  striping  running  clear  through  the  ends  of 
the  feathers ;  too  much  black  in  under  color  of  hackle ;  too 
light  under  color  of  hackle,  back  and  saddle  ;  brown  on  shoul- 
ders ;  white  ticking  in  breast ;  frosty  or  grizzly  fluff;  white  at 
base  of  main  sickles ;  white  in  leg  and  toe  feathers ;  white  in 
wings,  developing  with  age ;  purple  barring  in  black  sections. 

In  cockerel-bred  females  :  brownish  cast ;  indistinct  hackle 
striping ;   poor  eye  ;  poor  comb. 

In  pullet-bred  males:  no  white  in  breast  and  fluff;  white 
or  silver  bars  across  hackle,  saddle  and  flight  feathers. 

In  the  pullet-bred  or  exhibition  females :  too  dark  general 
color;  indistinct  penciling;  poor  penciling  of  throat  and 
breast ;   poor  penciling  of  lower  back  and  tail.  _ 


146  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

The  Cochin 

The  Cochin  is  unique  among  breeds,  largely  because  of  its 
profuse  and  loose  feathering.  It  is  a  large  breed,  weighing 
but  little  less  than  the  Brahma.  In  type  it  is  absolutely 
distinct  from  either  the  Brahma  or  the  Langshan.  It  is  a 
low  set,  round-bodied  bird.  In  fact,  the  female  with  well- 
developed  feathering  is  almost  a  ball.  The  breast  and  flufif 
are  carried  close  to  the  ground  and  the  breast  feathering 
and  that  of  the  toes  and  of  the  legs  in  front  of  the  hock 
almost  completely  fill  in  the  space  between  the  breast  and 
the  ground.  In  fact,  the  Cochins  are  more  completely  filled 
in  and  show  less  daylight  underneath  than  any  other  of  the 
well-known  breeds.  In  general,  the  Cochin  is  a  shorter, 
rounder,  broader,  lower  and  more  profusely  feathered  bird 
than  the  Brahma.  However,  there  is  somewhat  of  a  tend- 
ency for  males  to  be  too  stilty  in  appearance,  which  is  due 
to  the  fact  that  they  are  too  long-legged  and  are  not  well 
feathered  or  filled  in  underneath.  The  back  is  very  broad 
but  very  short  in  appearance,  being  even  shorter  than  the 
Langshan.  This  appearance  is  quite  largely  due  to  the 
extreme  development  of  the  cushion,  especially  in  the 
female,  which  is  very  characteristic  of  the  breed  and  which 
gives  a  decided  convexity  to  the  shape  of  the  back  and  tail 
of  the  female. 

The  comb  is  single  and  should  be  medium  in  size.  In 
mating,  select  against  the  too  large  or  too  high  combs,  which 
are  more  likely  to  occur  in  males.  The  reddish  bay  eye  is 
rather  difficult  to  get.  as  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  eyes  to 
run  too  light.  It  is  therefore  important  to  select  breeders 
with  good  eyes  if  possible.  The  neck  in  both  sexes  is 
decidedly  short  and  thick,  much  more  so  than  the  Brahma. 

Main  tail  feathers  which  are  short  and  soft  are  desired 
in  both  sexes.  In  the  male,  they  should  be  covered  with  soft 
and  profuse  sickle  and  lesser  sickle  feathers.  The  feather- 
ing of  the  entire  body  is  very  profuse,  loose,  long  and  soft", 


THE    ASIATIC    CLASS  147 

more  so,  in  fact,  than  any  other  of  the  well-known  breeds. 
The  only  stiff  feathers  on  the  bird  should  be  the  long  toe 
and  wing  feathers. 

The  shank  and  toe  feathering  is  more  profuse  than  in 
other  breeds.  Both  the  inner  and  middle  toes  should  be 
heavily  feathered  clear  to  their  extremities.  The  heaviness 
of  feathering  should  be  carried  down  the  shank  to  the  foot. 
If  it  tends  to  grow  lighter  toward  the  foot,  it  will  cause  a 
\'-shaped  junction  of  the  shank  and  toe  feathering,  which 
sometimes  occurs  and  is  undesirable.  Vulture  hock,  or  long, 
stiff  feathers  growing  back  and  down  from  the  hock  are 
quite  common  and  must  be  avoided.  To  prevent  this,  breed 
from  birds  whose  hock  feathers  are  soft  and  curl  around 
the  joint,  and  not  from  those  whose  hock  feathers  are  quilly 
and  stiff.  It  is  often  difficult  to  get  good  length  of  toe 
feathering  without  getting  vulture  hock. 

It  is  generally  considered  desirable  to  feed  the  birds  on 
soft  feed,  without  much  hard  grain,  in  order  to  produce  the 
soft  feathering  desired.  This  is  just  the  opposite  of  the 
feeding  used  for  games,  where  hard  feathering  is  wanted. 
The  birds  which  are  intended  for  exhibition  should  also  be 
kept  rather  quiet  and  not  allowed  to  run  or  to  scratch  too 
much  for  feed,  as  this  tends  to  wear  off  the  toe  feathering. 

In  breeding  Cochins,  the  following  defects  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  stiltiness,  espe- 
cially in  males;  not  well-feathered  underneath;  too  large 
combs;  light  eyes;  too  long  and  too  stiff  main  tail 
feathers;  too  scanty  shank  and  toe  feathering;  a  V- 
shaped  junction  of  the  leg  and  toe  feathering;  vulture 
hock;  too  small  size. 

The  Partridge  Cochin 

In  breeding  this  variety,  a  single  mating  may  oe  used 
as  follows : 

Select  a  male  whose  hackle,  back  and  saddle  feathers 
show  clear,  distinct  black  centers.  The  red  edging  should 


148  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

run  clear  around  the  ends  of  the  feathers.  Smut  fre- 
quently occurs  in  hackle  and  must  be  looked  out  for.  The 
wing  bow  wants  to  be  a  clear,  bright  red,  free  from  black 

mut.     The  back  should  be  a  trifle  darker  than  the  wing 

ow.  It  is  this  clear  red  wing  bow  which  gives  the 
autiful  mahogany  ground  color  sought  for  in  the  fe- 

ale  and  which  cannot  be  obtained  without  such  a  wing 
V  in  the  male.     It  is  also  the  clean  black  striping  of 

ackle  and  saddle  of  the  male  which  gives  the  clean  pen- 
ciling in  the  female.  Any  shafting  in  these  sections  will 
show  as  shafting  in  the  females,  particularly  in  the 
breast.  A  male  having  some  red  peppering  in  fluff  is 
not  objected  to  as  a  breeder,  as  such  a  male  tends  to 
strengthen  the  mahogany  penciling  in  the  females.  Such 
a  male  usually  has  the  finest  of  under  color,  while  one 
with  a  clear,  black  fluft"  is  apt  to  be  weak,  that  is,  be  too 
light  in  under  color.  A  little  red  edging  in  the  breast  is 
not  objectionable.  A  good,  sharp  red  edge  on  the  wing 
flights  is  desirable,  as  a  bird  possessing  it  is  more  likely 
to  get  good,  clear  penciling  in  his  pullets.  There  is  a 
tendency  for  the  under  color  to  run  light  or  white,  par- 
ticularly in  hackle,  back  and  saddle,  which  must  be 
avoided.  The  black  sections  of  wing  and  tail  must  also 
be  free  from  purple  barring. 

The  females  should  be  a  beautiful,  clear,  mahogany 
ground  color,  distinctly  and  regularly  penciled  with 
black.  Often  the  penciling  is  inclined  to  be  mossy,  that 
is,  the  black  and  mahogany  are  not  distinct,  but  tend  to 
run  together  or  mix  to  some  extent.  It  must  be  remem- 
bered that  females  improve  in  penciling  with  age,  and 
that  pullets  which  are  not  quite  clear  should  not,  there- 
fore, be  discarded  until  they  have  molted  in  as  hens. 
The  best  penciled  pullets  are  never  as  good  in  this  re- 
spect as  the  best  hens.  The  best  penciling  is  found  in 
hens  which  are  three  or  more  years  old.  The  strongest 
and  best  penciled  females  are  likely  to  show  a  peppering 


THE   ASIATIC    CLASS  149 

of  red  in  wing  flights  and  secondaries.  Pullets  also  never 
show  the  length  of  feather  which  hens  get. 

In  breeding  this  variety,  the  following  defects  in  ad- 
dition to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  147)  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible:  indistinct  black 
centers  or  bay  or  red  shafting  in  the  hackle,  back  and 
saddle  feathers  of  males;  smut  in  hackle  of  male;  smut 
in  wing  bows  of  male;  white  or  light  under  color  in 
hackle,  back  and  saddle  of  male;  purple  barring  in  black 
sections  of  male ;  mossy  or  indistinct  penciling  in  females. 

For  information  regarding  double  mating  for  Partridge 
color,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  material  on  mating 
Partridge  Plymouth  Rocks  (page  92). 

The  Buff  Cochin 

In  mating  this  variety,  it  is  unnecessarv  to  resort  to 
double  mating,  as  high  class  standard  specimens  of  both 
sexes  can  be  procured  from  a  single  or  standard  mating. 
Double  mating,  as  in  other  buff  breeds,  is,  however, 
sometimes  employed.  In  mating  this  variety  the  same 
considerations  of  color  apply  as  in  the  Buff  Plymouth 
Rock  (page  89),  and  the  matings  should  therefore  be 
selected  upon  the  same  basis. 

For  defects  to  guard  against,  see  the  general  descrip- 
tion for  the  Cochin  (page  146)  and  the  color  defects  as 
described  for  the  Buff  Plymouth  Rock  (page  89). 

The  White  Cochin 

In  breeding  this  variety  only  the  standard  or  single 
matmg  is  employed.  Birds  of  both  sexes  as  near  standard 
as  possible  are  selected.  In  color  they  should  be  pure 
white.  The  most  serious  color  defect  is  brassiness.  This 
is  most  apparent  in  males  and  shows  as  a  brass  or  yellow 
color  to  the  surface.     Do  not  breed  from  brassy  males 


150  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

or  females  from  a  brassy  flock.  Creaminess  as  shown  in 
the  under  color  or  on  quills  is  less  troublesome,  but 
should  be  guarded  against.  The  creamy  color  due  to  im- 
mature or  sappy  condition  of  feathers  must  not  be  con- 
fused with  the  creaminess  apparent  in  mature  feathers. 

The  Black  Cochin 

1  his  variety  is  probably  the  poorest  of  the  Cochins,  as 
it  tends  to  run  small  and  also  not  of  as  good  type  as 
either  the  Buff  or  the  Partridge.  It  also  tends  to  be 
shorter  and  closer  feathered.  In  breeding,  only  the 
standard  or  single  mating  is  employed.  Select  birds 
which  are  as  near  standard  both  in  t3^pe  and  color  as 
possible.  White  frequently  occurs  in  the  under  color 
of  hackle,  back  and  saddle,  especially  the  hackle  of  males, 
and  must  be  selected  against.  Red,  especially  in  the 
hackle,  sometimes  occurs  in  males.  Such  males  should 
not  be  used  for  breeding  unless  the  color  of  the  females 
tends  to  run  out  and  to  become  a  brownish  or  dull  black. 
If  this  happens  a  male  with  a  little  red  in  hackle  will  help 
to  restore  the  lustrous  black  color.  Purple  barring  must 
be  avoided.  White  sometimes  shows  in  the  sickles  of 
males.  This  frequently  develops  in  males  with  age,  and 
consequently  is  a  more  serious  fault  in  cockerels  than  in 
cocks  which  were  free  from  it  as  cockerels.  Cockerels 
showing  this  defect  should  never  be  used  as  breeders  if 
it  can  be  avoided.  The  wing  flights  frequently  show  a 
little  gray.  Birds  without  this  are  superior  as  breeders. 
Care  must  be  taken  to  see  that  no  birds  are  used  as 
breeders  which  do  not  show  yellow  bottoms  to  the  feet, 
as  birds  sometimes  occur  in  which  this  section  is  white. 

As  in  other  black  breeds,  the  young  chicks  are  apt  to 
show  white  in  their  chick  feathering.  This  is  usually 
lost  as  the  mature  feathering  is  gained,  and  if  so  is  of 
no  importance. 


THE   ASIATIC    CLASS  151 

In  breeding  this  variety,  the  following  defects  in  ad- 
dition to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  147)  must  be 
juarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  small  size ;  too 
short  and  too  close  feathering;  white  in  under  color  of 
hackle,  back  and  saddle,  especially  hackle  of  males;  red 
in  hackle  of  males ;  brownish  or  dull  black  surface  color 
in  females;  purple  barring;  white  in  sickles  of  males; 
gray  in  wing  flights ;  white  bottoms  to  feet. 

The  Langshan 

In  type,  the  Langshan  is  quite  as  distinct  as  the 
Cochin,  but  is  in  many  respects  just  the  opposite.  While 
the  Cochin  is  very  low  set,  the  Langshan  is  tall  and  is  set 
rather  high  on  legs,  being  considerably  higher  than  the 
Brahma.  The  body  tends  to  be  rounder  than  the  Brahma, 
which  is  due  to  the  fact  that  it  is  not  so  long  and  that  the 
length  and  depth  of  body  are  nearer  equal.  It  is  im- 
portant that  the  depth  of  body  should  be  good  and  that 
the  breeders  do  not  show  deficiency  in  that  respect.  The 
height  of  the  Langshan  is  due  to  its  good  depth  of  body 
as  well  as  to  its  long  legs  and  the  upright  carriage  of  tail 
and  head.  However,  its  legs  should  not  be  so  long  as  to 
make  the  bird  appear  stilty.  It  is  lighter  in  weight  than 
the  Brahma  and  Cochin. 

The  back  is  rather  short,  but  the  high  carriage  of  tail 
and  head  makes  it  appear  shorter  than  it  really  is.  There 
is  a  tendency  for  the  back  to  be  a  little  too  long.  The 
back,  tail  and  neck  form  a  U  which  is  a  trifle  wider  at  the 
top  than  at  the  bottom.  This  U  shape  of  back  is  more 
marked  and  perfect  in  the  male  than  in  the  female.  The 
back  should  be  broad. 

The  breast  should  be  round,  full  and  broad  and  should 
be  carried  well  up.  The  Cochiny  type  of  breast,  which 
is  much  looser  in  feather,  very  full  and  carried  much 
closer    to    the    ground,    should    be    avoided.     Narrow 


152  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

breasts  which  are  associated  with  legs  set  too  close  to- 
gether and  flat  breasts,  especially  in  males,  should  be 
avoided. 

The  comb,  which  is  single,  should  be  medium  in  size. 
There  is  a  tendency  for  the  comb  to  be  a  little  coarse, 
that  is,  too  high  and  too  large.  There  is  also  a  tendency 
for  the  comb  of  the  female  to  lop.  Both  these  defects 
must  be  selected  against  in  the  breeders. 

The  neck  is  long  and  very  erect,  having  somewhat  less 
arch  than  either  the  Brahma  or  the  Cochin.  The  hackle 
and  back  should  blend  smoothly  so  that  no  angle  is 
formed  between  the  two  sections. 

The  carriage  of  the  tail  is  distinct  among  the  larger 
breeds  and  has  much  to  do  with  giving  the  Langshan  its 
characteristic  shape.  It  is  carried  very  high,  but  must 
not  be  so  high  as  to  be  squirrel  tailed.  The  tail  should 
be  well  spread,  and  the  junction  of  the  tail  and  back  must 
be  smooth  and  free  from  any  angle.  Before  the  tail  is 
fully  grown,  it  may  sometimes  appear  to  be  too  low,  but 
in  well-bred  stock,  as  it  develops,  it  will  usually  prove  to 
be  high  enough.  Some  pullets  or  hens  before  the  full 
tail  is  grown  may  seem  to  show  some  tendency  toward 
a  cushion,  but  as  the  tail  comes  in  these  feathers  seem  to 
fill  in  at  the  base  of  the  tail  and  do  not  appear  as  a 
cushion,  but  serve  to  give  a  smooth  junction  of  the  tail 
and  back,  free  from  any  angle.  Such  females  are  es- 
pecially valuable  breeders  of  males,  as  they  breed  profuse 
saddle  and  back  plumage,  and  produce  males  with  a 
smooth  union  of  back  and  tail  free  from  any  angle. 

Since  the  Langshan  should  be  well  up  on  its  legs,  the 
legs  must  be  long.  In  fact,  legs  of  equal  length  in  any 
other  breed  would  give  the  bird  a  stilty  appearance. 
However,  the  length  of  leg  does  not  want  to  be  carried 
to  such  an  extreme  that  the  birds  are  out  of  proportion. 
On  the  other  hand,  birds  should  be  avoided  as  breeders 
which  are  too  low  set  or  too  squatty,  that  is,  have  too 


THE    ASIATIC    CLASS  153 

short  legs  and  which  are  a  little  small  all  around,  even 
though  they  may  be  good  in  type,  as  they  are  too  much 
on  the  pony  order.  The  hock  joints  should  be  ("is  iiictly 
visible  and  should  not  be  covered  by  the  fluff  an  a  body 
feathers,  as  in  the  Cochin.  There  is  a  tendency  for  birds 
of  this  breed  to  have  weak  legs  and  hock  joints.  Such 
birds  do  not  stand  strongly  on  their  legs,  but  tend  to 
wabble  and  teeter.  Legs  or  hocks  set  too  cose  together 
must  also  be  avoided. 

The  feathering  of  the  Langshan  is  quite  hard  and  com- 
pact, more  so  than  the  Brahma.  Loose-feathered  birds 
should  be  avoided  as  breeders. 

The  feathering  of  the  legs  and  toes  is  much  lighter 
than  that  of  the  Brahma.  The  middle  toe,  unlike  both 
the  Brahma  and  Cochin,  should  be  bare.  Slight  vulture 
hocks  or  stiff  feathers  in  the  hocks  occasionaly  occur,  but 
they  are  not  so  frequent  or  so  troublesome  as  in  the 
Brahma  and  especially  the  Cochin. 

The  following  defects  must  be  guarded  against  in  so 
far  as  possible  in  breeding  Langshans :  body  lacking  in 
depth ;  too  short  backs ;  too  long  backs ;  Cochiny  breast, 
that  is,  one  which  is  carried  too  low;  narrow  breast;  flat 
breast,  especially  in  males ;  too  large  and  coarse  comb  ; 
lopped  comb  in  females ;  squirrel  tail ;  too  short  legs  or 
too  low-set  or  squatty  birds ;  too  long  legs ;  weak  legs 
and  hock  joints;  too  loose  feathering;  middle  toe 
feathered ;  vulture  hocks ;  birds  which  are  of  good  type, 
but  a  little  small  all  around,  so  that  they  are  on  the 
pony  order. 

The  Black  Langshan 

In  breeding  this  variety,  a  single  or  standard  mating 
is  used.  Birds  of  both  sexes  are  selected  as  breeders 
which  approach  as  closely  to  the  standard  as  possible. 
Select  a  male  free  from  foreign  color  and  showing  a  rich, 
green    sheen    as    free    from    purple    barring    as    possible. 


154  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

Usually  the  birds  which  are  the  best  in  color  as  cockerels 
and  pullets,  that  is,  which  have  the  best  green  sheen  and 
are  free  from  purple  barring,  prove  to  be  the  best  colored 
cocks  and  hens  after  they  have  molted.  Occasionally  a 
young  bird  free  from  purple  will  show  it  after  the  molt, 
while  another  showing  some  purple  may  molt  in  free  from 
it.  Purple  barring,  therefore,  seems  to  be  largely  a 
matter  of  breeding,  but  a  bird's  condition  during  the 
time  it  is  growing  its  plumage  undoubtedly  has  some- 
thing to  do  with  it.  The  under  color  should  be  black, 
and  a  light  or  gray  under  color,  especially  in  back  and 
hackle,  must  be  looked  out  for.  It  is  better  to  have  a 
surface  color  showing  a  green  sheen  with  some  purple 
and  good  under  color  than  a  dull,  dead  black  surface 
color  with  light  under  color.  The  color  of  the  female 
should  be  the  same  as  the  male,  except  that  it  will  not  be 
so  brilliant  in  green  sheen.  The  wing  feathers  some- 
times show  frosted  tips,  that  is,  white  or  gray  tips.  This 
is  a  defect  which  must  be  guarded  against.  There  is 
some  tendency  in  males  toward  a  bronze  tinge  on  the 
shoulders  and  especially  on  the  tail.  While  this  defect 
must  be  selected  against,  it  is  not  so  serious  as  purple 
barring.  Sometimes  males  come  with  red  or  straw  color 
in  hackle,  back  or  saddle.  Some  breeders  use  these  males 
to  improve  the  green  sheen  in  the  offspring.  Other 
breeders  do  not  consider  it  necessary  to  use  such  males 
to  secure  good  green  sheen,  and  cull  all  males  showing 
this  foreign  color.  As  in  all  other  black  varieties,  the 
chick  plumage  is  apt  to  show  some  white  feathers,  which 
usually  disappear,  however,  when  the  adult  plumage  is 
gained. 

A  black  or  dark  brown  eye  is  desired,  but  there  is  a 
considerable  tendency  for  the  eye  to  be  too  light,  that  is, 
red  or  yellow.  This  tendency  must  be  carefully  selected 
against. 

There  is  also  a  tendency  for  the  bottoms  of  the  feet  to 


THE    ASIATIC    CLASS  155 

be  yellow.     As  this  disqualifies,  it  is  important  to  use 
birds  the  bottoms  of  whose  feet  are  pinkish  white. 

Briefly  summarized,  the  defects  in  addition  to  those 
common  to  the  breed  (page  153)  which  must  be  guarded 
agamst  m  so  far  as  possible  in  mating  this  variety  are  • 
too  light  eyes;  gray  or  light  under  color  of  back  and 
hackle  of  males;  yellow  bottoms  to  the  feet;  purple 
barring;  dull,  black  surface  color  lacking  the  green 
sheen;  frosted  tips  to  the  wing  feathers;  bronze  tinge  on 
the  shoulders  and  especially  on  the  tails  of  males. 

The  White  Langshan 

This  variety  is  not,  on  the  average,  quite  as  good  in 
type  as  the  Black  variety.  In  breeding,  it  is  universal 
to  employ  the  single  or  standard  mating,  selecting 
breeders  of  both  sexes  which  are  as  near  standard,  both 
in  type  and  color,  as  possible. 

As  in  other  white  varieties,  the  birds  should  be  used 
as  breeders  which  have  the  purest  white  plumage  They 
should  be  free  from  creaminess  in  both  sexes,  and  from 
brassiness  in  males.  The  plumage  both  in  quill  and  web 
should  be  free  from  black  ticking  and  from  anv  black 
feathers  in  any  section.  The  legs  should  be  slaty  in  color 
and  a  tendency  for  them  to  run  too  light  must  be  avoided 
Briefly  summarized,  the  following  defects  in  addition 
to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  153)  must  be  guarded 
agamst  in  so  far  as  possible  in  mating  this  varietv  •  bras- 
smess;  black  ticking;  black  feathers;  too  light  color  of 
legs;  creaminess. 


CHAPTER  VI 


THE  MEDITERRANEAN  CLASS 


The  Leghorn 


The  type  of  all  the  different  varieties  of  Leghorns  should 
be  identical.  The  birds  should  be  characterized  by  a  smooth- 
ness, a  style,  and  an  alertness,  all  of  which  combine  to  form 
a  breed  of  rare  beauty  and  attractiveness.  There  should  be 
no   suggestion   of    heaviness   or    sluggishness.      The   birds 

should  be  free  from 
any  angular  appear- 
ance, the  body  shape 
being  formed  of 
smooth,  sweeping 
curves  throughout. 
Birds  of  both  sexes 
should  have  a  rather 
high  station,  showing 
a  good  length  of 
shank,  while  the  hock 
joint  and  a  part  of  the 
thigh  should  be  dis- 
tinctly visible.  See 
Fig.  55.  There  is  a 
tendency,  particularly 
in  males,  for  the  birds 
to  be  too  low-bodied 
or  too  short-legged. 
This  is  sometimes  due 

Fig.    55 — Single    Comb    White    Leghorn    cockerel  ^       ^i^„     cAfflinrr    tvItiVIt 

of    excellent    type.     Notice    the    good    length    of  ^O    lUC     Seilling    ^\  niCH 

shank  and  that  the  hock  joint  and  a  part  of  the  ,-^^,,     r\nn^^r■     ■^^r'^th     nn-f^ 

thigh    are    distinctly   visible.      (Photograph    from  ^'''^7     ^^^^^     ^^iLll     d^C. 

the   Bureau   of   Animal   Industry,    United    States  "^T'"!-.^.,     fl-nV     /-r>nr1if ir^n 

Department  of  Agriculture.)  ^^  ^^^^^     '^"^^     COnQltlOn 

156 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS 


157 


IS  due  to  age,  allowance  must  be  made  for  it  in  selecting 
breeders,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  type  of  a  bird  as  a  cockerel 
is  valuable  in  this  connection.  See  Fig.  56.  There  is  also  a 
tendency  on  the  part  of  some  birds  to  be  too  upstanding  and 


Fig.  56— Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  cock.  This  is  the  same  bird  at  5 
years  of  age  as  shown  in  Fig.  55  at  one  year  of  age.  Notice  how  he  has 
settled  with  age.  The  difference  in  the  appearance  of  the  comb  is  due  to 
the  points  and  blade  having  been  slightly  frosted.  (Photograph  from  the 
Bureau  of  Animal   Industry,    United    States   Department   of    Agriculture.) 


to  approach  the  game  type.  Such  birds  invariably  lack 
breast  and  are  likely  to  carry  pinched  tails.  The  back  in  both 
sexes  should  be  nearly  level,  but  there  is  a  tendency,  espe- 
cially in  males,  for  the  back  to  show  too  decided  a  slope 
downward  from  the  shoulders  to  the  tail,  and  for  the  wing 
points  to  be  carried  too  low,  so  that  the  wing  does  not 
assume  a  nearly  horizontal  position,  as  it  should.  See 
Fig.  57. 


158 


THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


Leghorns  should  have  well-spread,  medium,  low-carried 
tails,  and  there  should  be  no  angle  where  the  back  and  tail 
join,  but  these  sections  should  blend  in  a  long,  sweeping 
curve.     High-carried  tails  are  undesirable  and  of  necessity 

form  an  angle 
between  the  tail 
and  back.  See 
Fig.  58.  Where 
tails  are  low- 
carried  there  is 
a  tendency  for 
the  birds  to  have 
a  drawn-out  ap- 
pearance at  the 
base  of  the  tail, 
or,  in  other 
words,  to  lack 
depth  at  the 
point  where  the 
tail  and  body 
join.  A  well- 
spread  tail  in 
both  sexes,  and 
abundant  long 
saddle  feathers 
in  males,  elimi- 
nate this  appear- 
ance. A  well- 
spread  tail  usually  denotes  good  health  and  good  breeding 
condition.    See  Fig.  59. 

The  well-spread  tail  of  the  males  should  be  fully  fur- 
nished. The  sickles  should  be  long  and  carried  well  up  over 
the  main  tail  feathers.  Sickles  which  are  too  long  hang 
down  too  far  and  have  a  bad  appearance.  The  saddle  feath- 
ers should  be  abundant  and  long,  and  coupled  with  a  broad 
back  and  shoulders. 


Fig.  57 — Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  male  showing 
too  decided  a  downward  slope  of  back  from  shoulders 
to  tail.  iNotice  also  that  the  wing  point  is  carried 
low  and  that  the  breast  is  too  prominent  and  carried 
too  high  so  as  to  approach  the  game  or  pouter  pi- 
geon type.  (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,   United  States   Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS 


159 


A  full,  round  breast  is  desired  in  both  sexes,  and  is  a 
section  that  is  likely  to  be  deficient,  both  in  males  and 
females. 

The  head  of  the  Leghorn  is  very  important,  and  particu- 
1  a  r  attention 
must  be  given  to 
the  comb  and 
head  points. 
The  Leghorn 
comb  is  of  two 
kinds,  single  and 
rose.  The  single 
comb  of  the 
male  should  be 
neat  as  a  whole, 
that  is,  neither 
too  large  nor  too 
thick.  It  should 
be  of  fairly  fine 
texture,  but 
should  h  a  V  e  a 
good  base  so 
that  it  sets  well 
and  firmly  on 
the  head.  The 
comb  should  be 
the    appearance 


Pig    5j? — Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  female  showing 

high-carried    tail.      (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of 

Animal     Industry,      United      States      Department     of 

Agriculture.) 


erect  and  should  in  no  way  have 
that  it  may  turn  over  or  lop.  See 
Fig.  4,  head  2.  It  should  have  five  points  and  care  should 
be  exercised  to  select,  if  possible,  breeders  having  no 
greater  number  of  points.  Some  birds  will,  however,  carry 
a  six-point  comb  well,  as  it  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  bird. 
However,  it  is  better  to  select  a  bird  with  four  points  rather 
than  six,  if  such  a  choice  is  necessary,  as  there  is  a  greater 
tendency  for  the  comb  to  carry  more  than  five  points  rather 
than  fewer.  A  comb  the  points  of  which  are  blunt  or 
rounded,  and  which  are  of  about  the  same  width  throughout 


160 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


their  length,  often  looks  better  with  six  points,  while  one  in 
which  the  serrations  are  pointed  and  taper  throughout  is 
more  symmetrical  with  five  points.  The  serrations,  or 
spaces  between  the  points,  should  be  cut  down  to  an  even 

level,  see  Fig. 
60,  and  the  ser- 
rations should 
be  even  or  set 
p  r  oportionately 
the  same  dis- 
tance apart,  that 
is,  the  greater 
distances  should 
be  between  the 
higher  points 
and  the  smaller 
ones  between  the 
shorter  points, 
so  that  the  entire 
comb  will  have 
a  symmetrical 
and  balanced 
appearance.  The 
blade  should  be 
carried  straight 
off  the  back  of 
the  head  and  should  show  no  tendency  to  follow  the  neck. 
See  Fig.  2,  head  6.  Most  blades  show  some  notching  in  the 
rear,  but  one  free  from  this  is  desirable.  See  Fig.  60.  The 
comb  should  also  be  free  from  thumb  marks  and  wrinkles 
along  the  base.  See  Fig.  4,  head  1.  It  should  not  be 
hollowed  out  along  the  side,  just  above  the  base,  but  should 
be  smooth  and  firm. 

The  shape  and  general  character  of  the  single  comb  of 
the  female  should  be  the  same  as  that  of  the  male,  except 
that  it  is  lopped.    Particular  attention  should  be  given  to  the 


Fig.  59 — Single  Comb  White  Leghorn  female  showing 
pinched   tail.      (Photograph   from  the   Bureau  of   Ani- 
mal   Industry,    United    States    Department    of    Agri- 
culture.) 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS 


161 


fact  that  the  front  of  the  comb  and  its  first  point  should 
stand  erect,  while  the  remainder  lops  to  one  side.  The 
Leghorn  female's  single  comb  differs  from  that  of  the 
Minorca,  which  does  not  stand  erect,  but  folds  back  over 
the  bill,  the  whole 
comb  lying  flat  on  the 
head  and  side  of  the 
face  and  following 
the  back  of  the  neck. 
See  Fig.  3,  heads  4 
and  5.  The  Leghorn 
female's  single  comb 
should  be  fine  in  text- 
ure, never  coarse.  A 
comb  which  is  rather 
undersized  is  prefer- 
able to  one  which  is 
large,  coarse  and 
beefy.  The  comb  of 
the  female  tends,  as 
the  hen  grows  older, 
to  become  smaller  and 
stand  erect.  This 
must  be  given  due 
consideration  in  se- 
lecting breeders.    The 

male  comb  of  the  rose  comb  varieties  should  be  of  medium 
size  and  be  securely  and  evenly  placed  on  the  head.  It  should 
be  square  in  front  and  the  sides  should  be  carried  back  near- 
ly horizontal  before  they  begin  to  taper  to  the  spike,  giving 
an  outline  to  the  comb  something  like  that  of  a  hairbrush.  The 
spike  should  be  well  developed  and  should  extend  straight 
out  from  the  head,  with  no  tendency  to  follow  the  neck  like 
the  Wyandotte  comb,  see  Fig.  2,  head  4,  or  to  incline  upward 
like  the  Hamburg.  Fig.  2,  head  8.  The  center  should  be 
filled  out  and  free  from  hollows.     See  Fig.  4,  head  3. 


Y\g.  60 — Head  of  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn 
male  showing  notched  blade  and  serrations  cut 
down  U>  an  uneven  le\el.  (Photograph  from 
the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture.) 


IDZ  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

The  female  rose  comb  should  be  identical  with  that  of 
the  male,  except  that  it  is  smaller  in  proportion  to  the  bird. 

The  ear  lobe  should  be  of  medium  size  and  oval  in  shape. 
It  should  never  be  so  large  as  to  be  at  all  pendulous,  nor 
should  it  be  large  and  round,  like  the  lobe  of  the  Hamburg. 
A  large  lobe  is  more  likely  to  be  accompanied  by  white  in 
face  than  a  smaller,  neater  lobe.  It  should  be  as  smooth  and 
free  from  wrinkles  as  possible.  It  should  also  be  white. 
Often  the  lobe,  especially  in  males,  shows  considerable  red 
peppering,  which  is  more  commonly  found  in  older  birds, 
as  it  tends  to  develop  with  age.  This  peppering  must  not 
be  considered  as  serious  a  defect  in  older  birds  as  in  the 
young  ones.  Usually  birds  showing  a  red  peppering  in  the 
lobe  are  free  from  white  in  face.  Many  fine  young  birds 
have  a  yellow  lobe,  which  may  vary  all  the  way  from  a  slight 
tinge  of  cream  to  a  decided  yellow.  It  is  most  noticeable  in 
birds  particularly  strong  in  yellow  leg  color,  and  just  before 
they  get  their  adult  plumage  or  before  they  begin  laying.  It 
occurs  more  commonly  in  males  than  in  females,  but  fades 
out  more  quickly  in  females.  Yellow  lobes  are  more  apt  to 
show  when  the  birds  run  in  damp  places,  or  in  clover  or 
alfalfa.  It  need  not  be  considered  a  serious  breeding  defect. 
Red  spots  and  wrinkles  in  the  lobes  of  males  are  often  due 
to  injury  received  while  fighting,  or  from  being  picked  by 
females.  Such  defects,  due  to  injury,  need  be  given  no 
weight  in  breeding. 

The  face  of  both  sexes  should  be  red.  One  of  the  most 
serious  and  troublesome  defects  in  Leghorns  is  white  in  face, 
as  it  not  only  disqualifies  in  cockerels  and  pullets,  but  is  a 
characteristic  which  is  quite  strongly  transmitted,  and  once 
introduced  into  a  flock,  is  difficult  to  breed  out.  The  white 
may  show  as  white  extending  oflf  from  the  ear  lobe,  or  as 
detached  spots  on  the  face,  especially  under  the  eye.  The 
paleness  of  face  due  to  lack  of  condition,  or  the  white  cast 
due  to  the  hair  on  the  face,  especially  in  females,  must  not  be 
confused  with  white  in  face.    Cocks  and  hens  with  age  often 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS  163 

develop  some  white  in  face,  although  they  were  sound  in 
this  respect  as  young  birds.  If  the  amount  shown  is  small, 
this  is  not  considered  as  serious  a  defect  for  breeders,  pro- 
vided their  faces  were  sound  as  young  birds.  However, 
cocks  and  hens  which  remain  sound  in  face  with  age  are 
preferable  as  breeders.  In  a  good  sound  face  the  line  be- 
tween the  white  of  the  ear  lobe  and  the  red  of  the  face 
should  be  clean-cut,  sharp  and  well  defined. 

As  a  breed,  the  Leghorn  is  very  free  from  side  sprigs, 
stubs  or  down. 

Common  defects  of  the  Leghorn,  which  should  be 
guarded  against  in  breeding,  in  so  far  as  possible,  are :  too 
many  points  to  the  comb  (in  single  combs)  ;  thumb  marks 
on  comb  (in  single  combs)  ;  double  points  on  comb  (in 
single  combs)  ;  for  large,  beefy  comb  (apt  to  lop  in  males)  ; 
too  heavy  blade  to  comb  (apt  to  turn  to  one  side)  ;  white  in 
face;  lack  of  breast;  tails  carried  too  high;  wry  tail,  that 
is,  not  carried  straight,  but  turned  to  one  side;  pinched 
tail,  that  is,  tail  not  well  spread,  especially  in  females ;  pearl 
or  light  eye;  notched  blade  to  comb;  back  showing  too 
great  a  slant  downward  from  the  shoulders  to  the  tail ; 
wings  carried  too  low. 

The  Single  Comb  Brovi^n  Leghorn 

In  this  variety,  in  order  to  secure  standard  specimens  of 
both  sexes,  it  has  been  necessary  to  resort  to  two  separat'=" 
matings  which  are  entirely  different  in  character.  Breeding 
along  these  two  different  lines  has  been  carried  on  to  such 
an  extent  that  two  entirely  different  sets  of  blood  lines  have 
been  established,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  many  breeders, 
are  so  distinct  as  to  be  virtually  distinct  varieties.  In  fact, 
there  is  a  movement  on  foot  at  the  present  time  to  bring 
about  a  division  of  the  Brown  Leghorn  variety,  as  it  is  now 
included  in  the  standard,  into  two  separate  varieties,  one  of 
them,  which  corresponds  to  the  cockerel-bred  line,  to  be 


164 


THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 


known  as  the  Dark  Brown  Leghorn,  and  the  other,  which 
corresponds  to  the  pullet-bred  line,  to  be  known  as  the  Light 
Brown  Leghorn.* 


/^UTT'  v^^^-v^z-. 


^/-fOU/.0^^ 


Ffe     61— Well-marked    Brown    Leghorn    feathers    from    a    Dark    or    Cockerel 
bred  male,   i.   e.,   an  exhibition  male  and  from  a   light  or  Pullet  bred  female. 
i    e     an  exhibition  female.    M  indicates  male  and   F  female.    (Photofrraph   from 
the  'Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United   States  Department  of  Agriculture./ 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS  165 

The  Dark  Brown  Leghorn,  or  cockerel  mating. — Select 
a  male  which  is  as  near  standard  as  possible.  Care  must  be 
taken  to  see  that  the  red  of  the  neck,  wing  bows,  back  and 
saddle  is  rather  deep  and  very  rich  in  tone,  and  that  the 
shade  of  color  of  these  sections  matches,  or  is  as  nearly  the 
same  as  possible.  Often  the  red  of  the  hackle  runs  into  a 
lighter  shade  at  the  ends  of  the  feathers,  giving  a  light  cape 
and  causing  what  is  known  as  a  shawl  effect.  This  is  un- 
desirable. Select  for  good,  sharp  striping  of  sound,  metallic 
black  in  hackle  and  saddle,  and  for  a  border  of  red  which 
extends  clear  around  the  end  of  the  feather.  Cockerels 
showing  slightly  pinched  tails  often  molt  in  with  much 
better  spread  of  tail  as  cocks,  and  in  consequence,  this  defect 
must  not  be  allowed  to  count  too  severely  against  an  other- 
wise good  cockerel.  All  black  points  should  show  a  greenish 
sheen. 

Select  females  for  this  mating  which  are  bred  from  a 
line  of  Dark  or  exhibition  males.  In  type  these  females 
should  be  standard,  but  may  be  slightly  more  masculine  in 
appearance.  The  combs  should  be  firm,  low  set  and  prefer- 
ably erect,  the  serrations  firm  and  even,  and  the  combs 
should  not  carry  more  than  five  points.  Combs  carrying 
four  points  are  preferable  to  those  with  six,  as  the  tendency 
is  for  the  males  to  come  with  more  rather  than  less  than 
five  points.  Good  red  eyes  are  desired  and  faces  free  from 
any  trace  of  white.  The  lobes  should  be  sound  and  white, 
yellow  lobes  being  carefully  avoided.  Females  from  a  line 
of  Dark  or  exhibition  males  will  have  coarse  stippling  in 
back  and  wings  and  will  be  darker  in  color  than  the  Light 
or  exhibition  females,  showing  a  greenish  cast  over  the  back 
and  tail.  The  hackle  feathers  should  show  a  clean  striping 
of  greenish  black,  which  should  be  bordered  entirely  around 

*  "At  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  American  Poultry  Association 
at  Chicago  In  August,  1919,  the  Light  and  Dark  Brown  Leghorns 
were  admitted  to  the  Standard  as  two  separate  varieties  in  place  of 
the  Brown  Leghorn  as  a  single  variety." 


166  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

the  feathers  with  a  reddish  orange.  This  will  result  in  a 
hackle  having  a  decidedly  reddish  effect,  and  any  tendency 
toward  a  lighter  or  yellow  shade  should  be  avoided.  Fe- 
males with  breasts  stippled  or  penciled  similar  to  the  back 
are  used  and  give  good  results  in  breeding.  The  wing 
flights  and  secondaries  should  be  just  short  of  positive  black, 
the  two  oi^ter  primaries  of  each  wing  showing  a  slight 
reddish  tinge.  The  under  color  of  all  sections  should  be 
slate,  or  even  dark  slate,  clear  to  the  skin.  The  shanks 
should  be  as  yellow  as  possible,  but  a  slight  tendency  to  dark 
brown  is  not  a  serious  objection. 

The  Light  Brown  Leghorn,  or  pullet  mating. — The 
females  used  in  this  mating  should  be  as  near  standard  as 
possible.  Selection  should  be  made  to  secure  as  perfect  a 
match  as  possible  in  the  color  of  back  and  wing  bows,  and 
to  have  both  sections  as  free  as  possible  from  shafting  and 
red  or  brickish  color,  as  these  are  the  greatest  difficulties  in 
breeding  females  of  this  variety.  The  striping  of  the 
hackles  is  apt  to  be  weak,  showing  some  penciling,  particu- 
larly in  the  best  stippled  females.  This  should  be  given 
attention  in  selecting  the  females  for  this  mating.  The 
breast  should  be  a  clear  salmon,  absolutely  free  from  any 
penciling  or  stippling  in  the  center. 

The  male  to  use  in  this  mating  should  be  out  of  a  Light 
or  exhibition  female  of  fine  quality.  Such  a  male  will  be 
much  lighter  in  color  than  the  Dark  or  exhibition  male. 
The  male's  hackle  feathers  should  be  bordered  by  a  light 
yellow  or  straw  color,  which  should  run  clear  around  the 
end  of  the  feathers.  The  stripe  should  be  as  clear  a  black 
as  can  be  secured.  The  wing  bows  should  be  a  light  orange 
or  light  red.  The  saddle  should  approach  as  closely  as 
possible  a  light  yellow  or  straw  color.  The  saddle  should 
also  be  devoid  of  striping,  but  a  tendency  toward  a  slight 
stippling  in  place  of  a  stripe  is  an  advantage.  The  tail 
should  be  black,  free  from  purple,  but  there  is  no  material 
advantage  in  a  greenish  sheen  to  the  tail.     The  breast  and 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS  167 

body  should  be  dead  black,  the  fluff  grayish  slate.  A  mix- 
ture of  reddish-tipped  feathers  in  breast,  body  and  fluff  is, 
however,  desired.  The  under  color  of  all  sections  should 
be  slate.     The  shanks  should  be  a  bright,  clear  yellow. 

The  comb  of  this  male  should  be  similar  in  shape  to  that 
of  the  Dark  or  exhibition  male,  but  may  be  a  trifle  larger. 
A  face  and  wattles  slightly  effeminate  in  character  is  advan- 
tageous. The  eye  should  be  the  same  as  that  of  the  Dark 
or  exhibition  male. 

In  breeding  this  variety,  the  following  more  or  less  com- 
mon defects,  in  addition  to  those  common  to  the  breed 
(page  163),  must  be  guarded  against,  in  so  far  as  possible. 
In  the  Dark  Brown  Leghorn,  or  cockerel-bred  male,  which 
is  the  standard  male  :  undersize  ;  too  large  comb  or  wattles  ; 
the  hackles  running  into  lighter  shade  or  too  dark  shade  at 
the  ends  and  producing  a  shawl  eff'ect.  Such  hackles  result 
in  what  is  known  as  a  three-colored  bird,  or  one  having  a 
different  shade  of  color  in  hackle,  saddle  and  wing  bows. 

In  the  Dark  Brown  Leghorn,  or  cockerel-bred  females : 
too  coarse  combs ;  combs  with  more  than  five  points ;  yellow 
lobes ;  yellow  shade  in  hackle ;   too  light  under  color. 

In  the  Light  Brown  Leghorn,  or  pullet-bred  male :  pearl 
or  light-colored  eyes ;  extreme  coarseness  in  comb  and  other 
head  points ;  wing  bows  too  dark  in  color ;  short  backs ; 
black  in  saddle  and  back ;  pinched  or  gamy  tails ;  birds 
having  fullness  of  breast,  but  with  the  back  line  extending 
downward,  as  such  males  breed  too  long-backed  females. 

In  the  Light  Brown  Leghorn,  or  pullet-bred  females, 
which  are  the  standard  females :  unevenness  in  color  of  back 
and  wings ;  shafting  in  back  and  wings ;  penciling  in  the 
striping  of  hackle;  penciling  or  stippling  in  the  center  of 
breast ;  brickiness  on  v^ings. 

The  Rose  Comb  Brov^rn  Leghorn 

In  mating  the  Rose  Comb  Brown  Leghorn,  the  same  gen- 
eral principles  must  be  observed,  with  respect  to  color  and 


168  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

type,  as  in  the  Single  Comb  variety  (page  163).  In  general, 
the  striping  is  not  so  good  as  in  the  Single  Comb.  The 
line  between  the  black  stripe  and  the  red  edging  is  not  so 
sharp,  with  the  result  that  the  striping  is  not  so  distinct. 
Breeders  as  good  in  this  respect  as  possible  should  be  selected 
to  keep  up  the  progress  which  has  been  and  is  being  made 
in  attaining  an  excellence  of  striping  equal  to  that  of  the 
Single  Comb  variety. 

In  comb,  it  is  necessary  to  guard  against  those  which  are 
too  broad  or  too  high  and  those  in  which  the  spike  shows 
an  inclination  to  follow  the  neck.  Combs  with  hollows  in 
the  sides  or  in  the  top  or  center  must  also  be  avoided. 

The  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn 

In  mating  the  Single  Comb  White  Leghorn,  it  is  usual  to 
employ  standard  matings.  Both  the  male  and  the  females 
are  selected  to  conform  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  standard 
description,  as  given  in  the  American  Standard  of  Perfec- 
tion. Where  weakness  is  shown  in  any  section  or  sections 
of  either  sex,  it  should  be  offset  by  strength  in  those  sections 
in  the  opposite  sex.  Attention  and  care  must  be  given  to 
the  general  considerations  for  the  breed  which  have  been 
described. 

In  selecting  breeders  for  color,  use  those  which  are  the 
whitest.  The  AMiite  Leghorn  is  quite  free  from  any  black 
ticking  or  other  foreign  color.  Brassiness  sometimes  occurs 
in  males,  and,  if  present,  is  to  be  found  on  the  shoulders, 
back  and  saddle,  showing  as  a  yellow  or  brassy  cast  to  the 
surface  color.  Brassy  birds  should  never  be  used  as  breed- 
ers. Creaminess  is  more  common  than  brassiness,  but  is  not 
as  serious  a  defect.  It  shows  as  a  slight  yellowish  cast  in 
the  under  color  and  in  the  quills  of  the  feathers  close  to  the 
body.  Creaminess  is  especially  prevalent  in  young  stock, 
while  their  adult  feathers  are  still  green  or  sappy.  Occa- 
sional   males   show   a    slight   tinge    of    red.   usually   on  .the 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS,  169 

shoulders.  Occasional  females  show  a  slight  tinge  of  buff  or 
salmon  on  breast,  on  head,  or  on  both.  Such  individuals 
should  be  discarded  for  breeding  unless  they  are  unusually 
outstanding  in  other  respects. 

The  yellow  shank  color  of  practically  all  AMiite  Leghorns 
is  lost  to  a  large  extent  with  age.  This  is  particularly  true 
of  females  which  lose  the  color  with  heavy  laying.  Their 
yellow^  color  is  renewed  somewhat,  though  seldom  com- 
pletely, at  each  molt. 

Many  males  also  have  pale  legs,  losing  the  yellow  color 
with  age.  Bare  yards  and  some  soils  also  seem  to  have  a 
bleaching  effect  on  yellow  legs.  The  lack  of  yellow  in  the 
shanks  of  either  males  or  females  need  give  the  breeder 
small  concern,  unless  they  lacked  this  color  as  cockerels  and 
as  pullets.  Males  having  very  pale  yellow  legs,  some  of  them 
being  practically  white,  usually  have  the  whitest  plumage, 
especially  free  from  any  trace  of  creaminess.  Such  a  male, 
especially  if  it  comes  from  good  yellow-legged  stock,  may  be 
particularly  valuable  to  use  on  a  flock  which  shows  a  tend- 
ency toward  creaminess. 

Sometimes  a  mating  is  made  which  is  not  strictly  standard, 
but  is  really  a  double  mating  within  a  single  pen.  This  is 
done  by  selecting  two  classes  or  types  of  females  to  breed 
to  the  same  male  with  the  expectation  of  producing  males 
of  exhibition  quality  from  one  class  and  females,  or  both 
males  and  females,  from  the  other.  In  making  this  mating, 
a  male  is  used  as  near  standard  as  possible.  The  first  class 
of  females  selected  to  go  with  this  male  should  be  those 
which  as  pullets  had  combs  which  tended  to  stand  erect  and 
which  are  coarser  in  texture  than  that  of  the  exhibition 
female.  This  type  of  comb  is  selected  with  the  expectation 
of  securing  better  combs  on  the  males  produced.  These 
females  should  also  be  as  strong  in  prominence  of  breast  as 
possible,  in  order  to  secure  males  which  are  not  deficient  in 
that  respect.  They  should  also  be  selected  for  particular 
fullness  across  the   base  of  the  tail,  showing,   if  possible, 


170  THE    MATING    AXD    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRV 

some  cushion,  and  for  breadth  of  back  in  order  to  secure 
good  saddles  and  tail  fiu-nishing  in  the  males  produced. 
Females  showing  an  unusual  abundance  of  tail  coverts, 
which  extend  well  up  on  the  main  tail  feathers,  are  especially 
valuable  in  producing  males  with  fine,  well-furnished  tail 
and  finely  finished  saddle.  This  part  of  the  mating  is 
expected  to  produce  cockerels  of  good  quality,  while  the 
pullets  are  not  so  likely  to  be  of  good  quality. 

The  second  class  of  females  selected  for  this  mating 
should  be  as  near  standard  as  possible,  and  these  are 
depended  upon  to  produce  pullets  of  good  quality,  and  per- 
haps some  cockerels  also. 

The  common  defects  of  the  variety,  in  addition  to  those 
common  to  the  breed  (page  163),  to  guard  against,  in  so  far 
as  possible,  are :  brassiness ;  creaminess ;  red  or  buflf  or 
salmon  in  the  plumage ;  yellow  or  too  coarse  ear  lobes ;  too 
coarse  and  too  large  body  ;  the  game  and  pouter  pigeon  type, 
that  is,  the  breast  too  prominent  and  carried  too  high.  See 
Fig.  57. 

The  Rose  Comb  White  Leghorn 

The  mating  of  the  Rose  Comb  ^Mlite  Leghorn  is  identical 
with  that  of  the  Single  Comb  variety,  except  in  the  matter  of 
comb.  Combs  which  are  too  broad  or  too  high,  those  in  which 
the  spike  tends  to  follow  the  neck,  and  those  showing 
hollows  along  the  sides,  or  in  the  center  or  top,  must  be 
avoided  in  so  far  as  possible. 

The  Single  Comb  Buff  Leghorn 

This  variety  tends  to  have  especially  large,  coarse,  beefy 
combs  which  may  be  badly  thumb-marked.  Neat-headed 
breeders  are  therefore  valuable.  The  ear  lobes  and  faces 
tend  to  run  quite  good  and  do  not  give  much  trouble. 

In  mating  this  variety,  as  with  other  buff  breeds,  it  is  not 
necessary  to   resort  to  double  mating  in  order  to  produce 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS  171 

high  class  standard  specimens  of  hoth  sexes,  but  double 
mating  is  sometimes  employed.  .In  the  matings  the  same 
color  considerations  will  guide  in  the  selection  of  the  birds 
for  breeders  as  in  the  Buff  Plymouth  Rock  (page  89). 
However,  it  should  be  kept  in  mind  that  the  Buff  Leghorn 
is  not  troubled  with  mealiness  to  the  same  extent  as  the  Buff 
Plymouth  Rock.  In  case  a  double  mating  system  is  used, 
the  male  for  the  pullet  mating  should  have  a  rather  small 
comb  and  his  head  may  be  less  masculine  in  character  than 
the  male  in  the  cockerel  mating,  in  order  to  offset  the  tend- 
ency toward  large  combs  on  the  females. 

In  addition  to  the  common  defects  for  the  Leghorn  in 
general  (page  163),  the  following  defects  must  be  especially 
avoided  in  this  variety,  in  so  far  as  possible :  large,  coarse, 
beefy  combs  in  both  sexes;  thumb-marked  combs  in  both 
sexes ;  comb  of  females  not  erect  in  front,  but  folded  and 
flat  on  the  head  like  the  comb  of  the  Minorca  female ;  too 
high  carried  and  squirrel  tails;  pinched  tails,  which  are 
especially  troublesome  in  females;  poorly  furnished  tails 
in  males. 

For  color  defects  to  be  guarded  against,  see  those  of  the 
Buff  Plymouth  Rock  (page  91). 

The  Rose  Comb  Buff  Leghorn 

In  regard  to  color,  type  and  general  considerations,  the 
mating  of  Rose  Comb  Buff  Leghorns  is  identical  with  that 
of  the  Single  Comb  variety  (page  170),  except  for  the 
comb.  Combs  which  are  too  broad  or  too  high,  those  with 
the  spike  following  the  neck,  and  those  in  which  the  spike 
is  absent,  must  be  guarded  against  in  both  sexes.  Combs 
showing  hollows  in  the  sides  or  hollows  in  the  top  or  center 
must  also  be  avoided. 

The  Black  Leghorn 

In  mating  the  Black  Leghorn,  a  single  or  standard  mating 
is    almost   universally   used.      Both   the   male    and   females 


172  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

should  be  as  near  standard  as  possible.  Birds  should  be 
chosen  which  have  a  green  sheen  to  the  black  and  are  free 
from  purple.  The  under  color  should  be  black  throughout, 
and  care  must  be  exercised  that  the  male  does  not  show 
white  in  the  under  color  of  hackle,  back  and  saddle.  It  is 
especially  hard  to  eliminate  white  from  the  under  color  of 
hackle.  White  in  under  color  is  a  defect  which  tends  to 
grow  worse  with  age,  and  consequently  cockerels  sound  here 
are  greatly  to  be  preferred  to  those  which  show  the  defect 
even  slightly.  Old  males  sound  in  these  sections  are  espe- 
cially valuable  breeders  of  black  under  color.  White  is  some- 
times found  in  the  sickles  of  cocks.  There  is  not  much 
trouble  from  white  in  the  wings,  although  the  young  stock 
often  show  white  in  chick  wing  feathers  and  also  purple  until 
they  get  their  adult  plumage.  While  dusky  yellow  legs  or 
shanks  are  allowed,  yellow  is  preferred,  and  good  yellow 
legs  can  be  secured  in  this  breed  without  sacrificing  black 
under  color.  The  birds  of  both  sexes  chosen  for  breeders 
should  be  strong  in  color  of  face  and  ear  lobes. 

Defects  which  are  common  to  this  variety,  in  addition  to 
those  common  to  the  breed  (page  163),  and  which  must 
therefore  be  guarded  against,  in  so  far  as  possible,  are :  too 
high  and  too  coarse  combs ;  too  many  points  to  combs ; 
thumb-marked  combs  ;  tails  carried  too  high  ;  white  in  face  ; 
white  in  sickles  of  cocks ;  white  in  under  color  of  hackle, 
back  and  saddle  of  males,  especially  hackle;  purple  sheen 
in  females ;   black  legs ;   red  in  plumage,  especially  males. 

The  Silver  Leghorn 

In  mating  the  Silver  Leghorns  a  single  mating  is  used. 
The  male  should  have  a  silvery  white  saddle  and  the  hackle 
should  show  a  faint  stripe  only  in  its  lower  portion.  It  is 
important  that  the  breast  be  black,  without  any  white 
appearing  in  it.  A  slate  under  color  is  desired.  The  best 
males  for  breeders  show  a  little  frostiness  in  the  flufif.     The 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS  173 

best  breeding  males  show  in  their  chick  feathers  some 
stippled  feathers  under  the  wings  and  in  the  tail  coverts. 
The  females  used  as  breeders  should  be  as  near  standard  as 
possible.  Penciled  females  must  be  avoided,  as  they  produce 
males  with  a  stripe  in  hackle  and  saddle. 

The  following  defects,  in  addition  to  those  common  to  the 
breed  (page  163).  must  be  looked  for  and  guarded  against, 
in  so  far  as  possible,  in  breeding  this  variety :  too  large  and 
too  coarse  combs  ;  thumb-marked  combs  ;  red  in  ear  lobes ; 
breast  feathers  of  males  tipped  or  edged  with  white ;  a  tend- 
ency to  brassiness  in  saddle  and  back  of  males ;  brick  or 
reddish  color,  both  sexes ;  shafting  in  back,  shoulders  and 
wings  of  females ;  red  in  wing  bows  and  shoulders  of  males. 

The  Red  Pyle  Leghorn 

It  is  common  practice  to  double  mate  in  this  variety,  as 
more  satisfactory  results  are  thus  obtained. 

Cockerel  mating. — Use  a  male  for  this  mating  which  is 
as  near  standard  as  possible,  and  give  special  consideration 
to  securing  good,  strong  red  coloring  of  the  secondary  wing 
feathers.  The  females  should  have  a  solid  salmon  breast 
and  should  also  show  a  tendency  to  reddish  color  on  the 
lower  part  of  the  wing  bows. 

Pullet  mating. — The  male  selected  for  this  mating  should 
be  slightly  lighter  in  color  than  the  exhibition  male.  It  is 
also  rather  an  advantage  if  the  hackle  is  slightly  striped 
with  red.  The  females  used  in  this  mating  should  be  as 
near  standard  as  possible. 

In  addition  to  the  common  defects  which  should  be 
guarded  against  for  the  breed  in  general  (page  163),  the 
following  defects  must  be  especially  avoided,  in  so  far  as 
possible,  in  mating  this  variety:  too  large  and  too  coarse 
combs  in  both  sexes ;  thumb-marked  combs  in  both  sexes ; 
blade  of  comb  following  the  neck  in  males  ;  comb  of  females 
not. erect  in  front,  but  folded  and  flat  on  the  head  like  the 


174  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

comb  of  the  Minorca  female ;  red  in  ear  lobes ;  too  high 
carriage  of  tail ;  salmon  on  wings  of  females ;  black  in 
plumage,  especially  males ;  legs  too  light  in  color,  approach- 
ing white ;   breasts  of  females  too  light  in  color. 

The  Minorca 

The  Minorca  is  characterized  first  of  all  by  its  size.  It  is 
the  largest  breed  of  the  Mediterranean  class.  The  Single 
Comb  Black  Minorca  is  the  largest  variety  of  this  breed, 
averaging  about  a  pound  heavier  than  the  other  varieties, 
which  are  of  about  the  same  size  as  the  White-Faced  Black 
Spanish  and  are  larger  than  any  of  the  other  Mediterranean 
breeds.  The  type  of  the  Minorca  is  quite  distinct.  It  is  an 
upstanding  bird  with  a  long  body  which  has  a  gradual  slope 
downward  from  front  to  rear.  This  is  especially  noticeable 
in  the  back  line,  which  is  long  and  straight  but  slopes  down- 
ward from  the  shoulders  to  the  tail.  The  tail  is  of  good 
size,  well  spread,  and  low  carried.  The  Minorca  has  not  the 
smoothness  which  the  Leghorn  displays  and  has  in  general 
a  more  angular  appearance.  There  is  sometimes  a  tendency 
shown  for  the  back  in  both  sexes  to  be  curved  or  arched 
instead  of  straight,  but  this  is  not  very  troublesome.  A 
round,  full  breast  is  most  desirable  in  both  sexes.  The 
birds  should  stand  firm  and  straight  on  their  legs.  There 
is  a  tendency  toward  knock-knees  in  this  breed.  When 
birds  which  are  too  high  and  too  long-legged  are  mated, 
this  knock-kneed  condition  is  one  of  the  most  troublesome 
defects  with  which  one  has  to  contend.  The  wattles  are 
long  and  the  large  white  ear  lobe  desired  is  an  important 
point  of  the  head,  as  it  adds  much  to  the  appearance  of  the 
breed.  Red  in  ear  lobes  is  a  troublesome  defect  which  must 
be  guarded  against  in  all  varieties  of  Minorcas.  White  in 
face  may  occur,  especially  in  males,  and  tends  to  increase 
with  age.  See  Fig.  62.  Young  birds  showing  white  in 
face  should  not  be  used,  and  if  old  males  can  be  secured 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS 


175 


which  are  sound  in  this  respect,  they  are  to  be  preferred. 
However,  a  cock  showing  white  in  face  may  be  used  if  he 
was  sound  in  face  as  a  cockerel.  It  is  important  to  select 
good-sized,  rugged  birds  to  avoid  weak  constitutions.  Good 
size  and  bone 
can  be  secured 
by  mating  a 
large  male  to 
average-s  i  z  e  d 
females,  or  vice 
versa.  Slow 
maturing  birds 
should  never  be 
used  for  breed- 
ers. Stubs  occa- 
sionally occur  in 
Minorcas  and 
must  be  selected 
against. 

The  comb  of 
the  single  comb 
varieties  is  large 
and  rather 
coarse  in  text- 
ure and  deeply 
serrated.  It  has 
six  points  in- 
stead of  five,  as 
in  most  other 
single  comb 
fowls.  See  Fig. 
2,  head  5.  The  comb  of  the  n"iale  should  be  erect  and 
with  a  strong,  thick  base  to  overcome  the  tendency  to 
be  weak  and  lop  or  turn  ov§r  on  account  of  its  large  size. 
Females  which  have  a  good  thick  comb  base  are  more  apt 
to  get  good  combs  in  cockerels.     The  blade  of  the  male's 


Fig.    62 — Single   Comb   Black   Minorca    Cock   Bhowing 
white  in  face.     (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Ani- 
mal   Industry,    United    States    Department    of    Agri- 
culture.) 


176  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

comb  tends  to  follow  the  curve  of  the  neck.  See  Fig.  2, 
head  5.  It  is  important  that  the  comb  points  in  both  sexes 
be  wedge-shaped. 

The  single  comb  of  the  Minorca  female  is  large,  six- 
pointed,  and  in  shape  differs  distinctly  from  the  Leghorn 
female  comb.  It  does  not  stand  erect  in  front  as  in  the 
Leghorn,  but  the  front  lops  to  one  side  across  the  beak,  then 
loops  or  folds  and  falls  with  the  remainder  of  the  comb  to 
the  other  side  of  the  head.  The  whole  comb  lies  flat  on  the 
head  and  hangs  down  over  the  face,  no  part  being  erect. 
See  Fig.  3,  heads  4  and  5.  Breeders  differ  in  the  type  of 
comb  used  in  the  females,  some  using  females  with  larger 
combs  and  some  with  finer  combs.  In  general,  it  may  be 
said  that  the  females  with  the  larger  combs  will  produce  the 
best  combed  males,  and  those  with  the  finer  combs  the  best 
combed  females. 

The  rose  comb  in  both  sexes  is  quite  large,  with  a  promi- 
nent spike  which  follows  the  curve  of  the  neck  to  some 
extent.  There  is  a  tendency  for  the  rose  combs  to  be  too 
high  and  too  broad  and  to  show  hollows,  both  along  the 
sides  and  on  the  top  in  the  center. 

The  following  are  defects  which  are  characteristic  of  the 
breed  and  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible : 
knock-knees  ;  too  high  tails  ;  pinched  tails  ;  weak  constitu- 
tion ;  white  in  face,  especially  males ;  curved  or  arched 
backs  in  females ;  too  short  backs ;  stubs ;  too  high,  weak 
single  combs  in  males,  which  are  apt  to  turn  over;  lopped 
single  combs  in  males ;  too  high  or  too  broad  rose  combs  in 
both  sexes ;  hollow  rose  combs  in  both  sexes ;  red  in  lobe, 
unless  due  to  injury  or  exposure  to  the  weather;  slow 
maturing  birds. 

The  Single  Comb  Black  Minorca 

In  mating  this  variety  it  is  customary  to  use  a  single  or 
standard    mating,    although    females    varying    in    certain 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS  177 

respeets  are  often  used  in  the  same  mating,  some  primarily 
for  the  production  of  cockerels  and  others  primarily  for  the 
production  of  pullets.  A  male  should  be  selected  which  is 
as  near  standard  as  possible,  being  careful  to  see  that  the 
breast  is  round  and  full  and  that  he  is  strong  on  his  legs  and 
not  knock-kneed.  Also  see  that  his  comb  is  strong  and 
shows  no  tendency  to  lop.  Males  showing  a  few  red 
feathers  in  the  hackle  often  make  good  breeders,  but  any 
which  show  a  tinge  of  red  on  the  wing  bar  should  be  dis- 
carded. He  should  be  as  free  as  possible  from  purple  bar- 
ring. A  good,  large,  dark  eye  in  the  male  is  especially 
important.  Such  a  male  will  get  a  majority  of  dark-eyed 
cockerels  and  pullets,  but  a  red-eyed  male,  even  when  mated 
to  dark-eyed  females,  will  usually  produce  a  majority  of 
red-eyed  cockerels  and  pullets. 

In  selecting  the  females,  be  sure  that  all  have  round,  full 
breasts  and  that  the  back  is  not  curved  or  arched.  The  tails 
should  all  be  well  spread,  the  wider  the  main  tail  feathers 
the  better,  but  the  carriage  of  tail  may  vary  considerably, 
some  being  low  and  others  considerably  higher.  The  car- 
riage of  the  tail  of  the  females  will  also  depend  on  the  tail 
carriage  of  the  male.  If  his  tail  is  carried  low,  some  rather 
high-tailed  females  can  be  used,  but  if  his  tail  carriage  tends 
to  be  high,  low-tailed  females  should  be  used. 

In  color,  it  is  best  to  secure  dull-colored  females  if  pos- 
sible. However,  if  the  females  show  some  purple  which 
comes  from  neglect  or  exposure  to  the  weather,  they  may 
be  used.  Some  females  showing  purple  as  pullets  will  molt 
in  good  as  hens,  with  proper  care.  Some  females  which  had 
good-colored  flights  as  pullets  are  apt  to  show  some  white 
as  hens.  This  is  not  serious,  however,  and  such  hens  can  be 
used  in  the  breeding  pens  if  they  were  sound  as  pullets. 

Females  showing  some  variation  in  length  of  shank  may 
be  placed  in  the  breeding  pen,  some  being  longer  or  shorter 
in  this  respect  than  others.  Some  variation  of  comb  is  also 
desirable.     Some  of  the  females  should  have  large  combs 


178  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 

and  good  thick  comb  bases,  as  these  will  produce  the  best 
combs  on  the  cockerels.  Others  should  have  finer  combs, 
as  they  will  produce  the  best  combs  on  the  pullets. 

In  addition  to  defects  common  to  the  breed  (page  176), 
the  following  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible : 
purple  barring ;  red  eyes  ;  red  tinge  on  wing  bows  of  males ; 
white  in  flights  of  females. 

The  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca 

This  variety  is  identical  with  the  Single  Comb  Black 
Minorca  except  in  the  matter  of  comb,  which  is  rose,  and  in 
size.  The  same  points  already  covered  for  the  Single  Comb 
variety  (page  176)  and  for  the  breed  in  general  (page  174) 
must  be  taken  into  consideration  in  breeding  this  variety. 

The  Single  Comb  White  Minorca 

Single  or  standard  matings  are  used  in  this  variety,  both 
sexes  being  selected  as  near  standard  as  possible.  While 
this  variety  should  have  the  same  type  as  the  Black  Minorca, 
in  size,  like  the  Single  Comb  Buff  and  the  Rose  Comb  Black 
varieties,  it  runs  slightly  smaller  than  the  Single  Comb 
Black.  Even  with  this  difference  in  size,  however,  there  is 
a  tendency  for  the  birds  of  this  variety  to  be  too  small  and 
it  is  therefore  necessary  to  select  individuals  which  are  of 
good  size.  The  plumage  should  be  pure  white  throughout 
and  brassiness  must  be  avoided.  Select  for  pinkish  white 
shanks,  as  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  shanks  to  have  a 
bluish  cast. 

In  mating,  guard  against  the  following  defects,  in  so  far 
as  possible,  in  addition  to  the  defects  common  to  the  breed 
(page  176)  :  blue  cast  on  legs;  brassiness;  too  small  size; 
too  short  backs ;  too  high  tails. 

The  Rose  Comb  White  Minorca 

In  mating  this  variety  the  same  points  must  be  taken  into 
consideration  as  in  the  Single  Comb  Whites,  except  in  the 


THE    MEDITERFIANEAN    CLASS  179 

matter  of  comb.     In  comb  the  same  conditions  exist  as  in 
the  Rose  Comb  Blacks  (page  176). 

The  Single  Comb  Buff  Minorca 

In  mating  this  variety  it  is  unnecessary  to  resort  to  double 
matings,  as  high  class  standard  specimens  of  both  sexes  can 
be  produced  from  a  single  or  standard  mating.  Double 
mating,  as  in  other  buff  breeds,  is,  however,  sometimes 
employed.  In  mating  this  variety  the  same  considerations 
of  color  apply  as  in  the  Buff  Plymouth  Rocks  (page  89), 
and  matings  should  be  selected  upon  the  same  basis. 

As  a  variety,  the  Buff  IMinorca  is  not  as  large  as  the 
Black,  having  the  same  standard  weights  as  the  white. 
This  variety  tends  to  be  lower  set  on  legs  than  the  Black 
variety. 

It  is  difficult  to  get  good  under  color  in  the  females  of 
this  variety,  as  it  tends  to  be  too  light.  The  under  color  of 
the  males  is  good. 

This  variety  is  very  free  from  white  in  face  and  the 
combs  are  more  medium  in  size  than  in  either  the  Black  or 
AAHiite  varieties. 

The  following  defects  must  be  guarded  against,  in  addition 
to  those  given  under  the  general  description  for  the 
Minorca  (page  174),  and  the  color  defects,  as  described  for 
the  Buff  Plymouth  Rock  (page  91):  light  eyes;  yellow 
legs  and  blue  legs. 

The  White-Faced  Black  Spanish 

This  breed  is  unique  in  appearance  because  of  the  ex- 
tremely large  white  faces.  In  type  these  birds  are  much  like 
the  Alinorca,  but  the  tails  are  carried  somewhat  hiHier  in 
both  sexes,  which  gives  a  sharper  angle  where  the  back  and 
tail  join.  The  back  line  should  be  long  and  show  a  down- 
ward slant  from  the  shoulders  to  the  tail.  In  size  they  are 
only  slightly  smaller  than  the  Single  Comb  Black  Minorca. 


180  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

The  comb  is  quite  large,  but  has  five  points  instead  of  six 
as  in  the  Minorca.  The  comb  of  the  female  is  erect  in  front, 
like  the  Leghorn's,  instead  of  having  the  double  fold  and 
lying  flat  on  the  head  as  in  the  Minorca  female. 

In  mating  this  breed  it  is  usual  to  employ  only  a  single  or 
standard  mating.  The  very  best  colored  birds  that  are 
strong  in  greenish  sheen  should  be  selected  in  both  sexes. 
There  is  not  much  trouble  with  purple  barring  in  the  adult 
plumage,  although  it  often  shows  in  the  chick  feathers. 
Some  white  in  flights  is  also  apt  to  appear  in  the  chick  feath- 
ers and  sometimes  in  adult  plumage.  Birds  showing  this 
defect  in  the  adult  plumage  should  not  be  used  as  breeders. 

Select  a  male  which  has  a  good  stiff  comb,  as  there  is  a 
tendency  for  the  comb  to  lop  at  the  back.  Avoid  a  female 
comb  which  approaches  the  type  of  the  Minorca  female 
comb.  The  two  top  feathers  or  sickles  of  females  should 
bend  or  curve  a  trifle. 

One  of  the  most  important  points  in  this  breed  is  the  face. 
Use  the  largest  and  the  smoothest  faces  possible  for  breed- 
ers. There  is  more  or  less  trouble  to  get  the  faces  large  and 
at  the"  same  time  smooth.  There  is  a  tendency  for  the  face 
to  become  more  wrinkled,  rough  and  puffy  with  age,  and  at 
two  years  old  they  may  cover  the  eyes  so  as  to  obstruct  the 
sight.  This  is  particularly  true  of  males,  as  the  faces  of 
females  never  get  as  rough  as  those  of  males.  The  face 
generally  increases  in  length  until  the  birds  are  two  years 
old.  Some  male  birds  are  known  to  have  good  white  faces 
measuring  nine  inches  in  length.  Sometimes  pulling  the 
faces  is  practiced  in  an  eft'ort  to  increase  their  size.  This 
is  neither  necessary  nor  desirable,  as  pulling  causes  them 
to  become  wrinkled,  red  and  rough.  Birds  should  also  be 
chosen  with  faces  as  free  from  red  as  possible. 

As  young  birds,  these  fowls  are  not  particularly  hardy. 
They  must  therefore  have  good  care  until  they  are  eight  or 
10  weeks  old,  and  must  be  kept  out  of  the  cold  and  damp. 
•Spanish  males,  particularly  the  older  ones,  should  be  fed  in 


THE    MEFITERRAXEAN    CLASS  181 

receptacles  raised  off  the  ground  12  or  15  inches.  If  this  is 
not  done,  they  are  often  unable  to  see  grain  placed  on  the 
ground  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  face  may  become  wrinkled 
and  nearly  cover  the  eyes. 

The  following  defects  must  be  guarded  against  in  this 
breed  in  so  far  as  possible :  too  high  tails  in  both  sexes  ;  wry 
tails ;  red  in  face ;  red  in  ear  lobe ;  wrinkled,  rough  or 
puffy  faces,  especially  in  males;  combs  lopped  at  the  rear 
in  males ;  too  large  or  too  coarse  combs ;  combs  of  females 
not  erect  in  front,  but  folded  and  flat  on  the  head  as  in  the 
Minorca  female  comb ;  white  in  flights ;  white  tips  to  main 
tail  feathers. 

The  Blue  Andalusian 

This  breed,  by  virtue  of  its  blue  color,  is  not  only  an  un- 
usual looking  fowl,  but  one  of  decided  beauty  as  well.  The 
lacing  of  darker  blue  which  occurs  throughout  the  female 
and  on  the  breast  and  body  of  the  male  adds  to  its  attractive- 
ness of  appearance. 

In  type,  this  breed  is  intermediate  between  the  IMinorca 
and  Leghorn.  It  is  a  bird  of  smoothness  and  quality,  with 
medium  low-carried  tail,  and  standing  well  up  on  its  legs. 
The  shoulders  are  high  and  prominent,  and  the  back  line, 
both  in  male  and  female,  is  not  level  as  in  the  Leghorn,  but 
shows  a  downward  slant  from  the  shoulder  to  the  tail  as  in 
the  Minorca.  The  juncture  of  the  back  and  tail  are  not  so 
smooth  as  in  the  Leghorn,  but  should  not  sho^v  a  sharp 
angle.  The  Andalusian  has  a  long  body,  nearly  if  not  quite 
as  long  as  the  Minorca.  In  the  female  the  body  has  a 
decided  wedge  or  pear  shape,  the  deeper  part  being  at  the 
rear.  The  breast  is  carried  high,  considerably  higher  in  this 
respect  than  the  Leghorn.  The  back  Ime  should  be  straight 
and  should  show  no  tendency  to  arch,  or  as  it  is  sometimes 
termed,  to  show  a  roached  back.  The  comb  has  five  points 
and  is  much  like  that  of  the  Leghorn  in  shape,  except  that 
there  is  more  of  a  tendencv  for  the  blade  to  follow  the  neck 


182 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


in  the  male.  In  size  the  comb  tends  to  be  somewhat  larger 
than  that  of  the  Leghorn.  This  breed  lays  a  white  egg,  but 
occasionally  tinted  eggs  are  secured.    The  presence  of  these 


Fm     63 — Well-marked    Blue    Andalusian    feathers.     M    indicates    male    and    F 

female.      (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States 

Department  of  Agriculture.; 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS 


183 


tinted  eggs  is  not  to  be  taken  as  any  evidence  of  impurity 
of  the  stock. 

In  breeding,  the  Andalusian  manifests  a  peculiar  and 
interesting  occurrence.  When  bhie  birds  of  both  sexes  are 
mated  together  they  do  not  give  oltspring  all  of  which  are 

blue,     but 


Fig.   64 — Black  Andalusian  male.     (From  the  Kansas 
State   Experiment    Station.) 


ap- 
proximately 50 
per  cent,  come 
blue,  while  ap- 
proximately oO 
per  cent,  come 
either  black, 
white,  or  white 
splashed  with 
blue  or  gray. 
O  f  this  5  0 
per  cent.  of 
offspring  which 
come  other 
than  blue,  about 
one-half,  or  25 
per  cent,  of  the  total  offspring,  come  black,  while 
the  other  half,  or  25  per  cent,  of  the  total  off- 
spring, come  white  or  white  splashed.  Red  also 
occasionally  shows  in  these  off-colored  birds.  The 
long-continued  selection  of  pure  blue  birds  for  breed- 
ing seems  to  have  resulted  in  little  or  no  advancement 
in  the  percentage  of  blue  offspring  obtained.  If,  however, 
a  black  bird  of  either  sex  is  mated  with  a  white  or  splashed 
white  bird  of  the  opposite  sex,  nearly  100  per  cent  of  the 
offspring  will  be  blue.  With  the  peculiar  behavior  of  the 
Andalusian  In  breeding  there  are  a  number  of  methods  of 
mating  which  can  be  and  are  used. 

The  Blue  Andalusian  Club  of  America  advocates  some 
one  or  more  of  the  following  matings :  (1)  Standard  exhibi- 
tion birds  of  both  sexes ;    (2)  a  very  dark  blue,  heavy  laced 


184 


THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


male  of  good  type,  carriage  and  head  points  to  females  of 
good  type  and  of  a  very  light  shade  of  blue,  even  to  the 
extent  of  possessing  little  or  no  lacing;  (3)  an  extremely 
light  blue  bird  of  good  type,  carriage  and  head  points  with 
the  very  darkest,  most  heavily  laced  blue  females ;    (4)   a 

pure  black  male 
bird  of  good 
type,  carriage 
and  head  points 
w  i  t  h  splashed 
white  females  of 
good  type;  (5) 
a  splashed  white 
male  of  good 
type,  carriage 
and  head  points 
with  black  fe- 
males of  good 
type. 

The  method 
of  mating  as 
given  by  differ- 
ent individuals 
varies  some- 
what, and  for  this  reason  the  description  of  two  such 
matings  is  given  below.  One  well-known  breeder  gives 
his  method  as  follows :  Do  not  double  mate.  Select  a  male 
with  good  solid  black  or  blue-black  back.  He  should  have 
good,  distinct  lacing,  even  the  main  tail  and  wing  flights 
showing  signs  of  lacing  if  this  can  be  found,  but  males 
showing  these  signs  of  lacing  in  tail  and  wing  are  very  hard 
to  get.  If  a  clear,  silvery  blue  male  is  used,  the  offspring 
are  likely  to  come  brassy  or  reddish  in  hackle.  The  male 
in  this  mating  is  depended  upon  mainly  for  the  color  of  the 
offspring.  Select  females  of  good  type,  which  are  well  up 
on  legs,  with  low  carriage  of  tail  and  a  good  wedge-shaped 


Fig.  65- 


-Black  Andalusian   Female.      (From  the  Kan- 
sas   State    Experiment    Station.) 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS 


185 


body.  These  should  show  as  clear  a  blue  in  plumage  as 
possible,  with  as  good  lacing  as  can  be  obtained.  Avoid 
hens  showing  a  smut  or  frost  of  dark  color  throughout  the 
body  and  wing. 

Another  breeder  describes  his  method  of  mating  as 
follows :  Use  a 
standard  mating 
for  color.  That 
is,  do  not  select 
extremes,  such 
as  the  use  of  a 
very  dark  male 
with  light  fe- 
males, or  vice 
versa.  The  use 
of  these  ex- 
tremes in  mat- 
ing is  apt  to 
cause  a  mottling 
of  darker  color, 
the    females 


m 


p  a  r  t  i  c  u  larly. 
The  lacing  of 
the    birds 


Fig. 


66 — Splashed    White    Andalusian    male.     (From 
the  Kansas  State  Experiment  Station.) 


se- 


lected should  be  as  good  and  distinct  as  possible.  Where  ex- 
tremely dark  birds  are  used,  there  is  a  tendency  to  throw  red 
in  the  hackee  of  the  male  offspring.  If  too  light  birds  are  used, 
the  hackle  is  likely  to  come  too  light  or  faded  out  in  color. 
This  breeder  suggests  that  it  is  bad  policy  to  breed  a  blue 
male  which  came  from  a  black  and  splashed  white  mating, 
as  the  use  of  such  a  bird  is  likely  to  result  in  the  loss  of  good 
lacing,  and  may  cause  a  light  smutty  blue.  Always  use  a 
blue  male  from  a  blue  mating.  While  it  is  bad  policy  to 
use  a  blue  male  from  other  than  a  blue  mating,  it  is  well  to 
reserve  the  black  and  splashed  white  pullets  or  cockerels  of 
good  type  for  use  in  the  black  by  splashed  white  mating. 


186 


THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 


While  this  breeder  does  not  double  mate  for  color,  he  occa- 
sionally makes  special  matings  for  head  points  and  type, 
such  as  the  use  of  an  effeminate-headed  male  to  breed  good 
heads  on  pullets. 

Although  a  majority  of  breeders  of  the  Blue  Andalusian 
feel  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  resort  to  double  mating,  yet 

this  is  s  o  m  e- 
times  done  with 
the  idea  that  it 
is  easier  in  this 
way  to  secure 
males  with  a 
good  blue-black 
top  color,  and  at 
the  same  time 
clear,  distinct 
lacing  on  breast 
and  throat,  and 
to  secure  fe- 
males which  are 
an  even  shade 
of  blue  and  dis- 
tinct, contrast- 
ing lacing  with- 
out a  tendency 
to  weaken  in  color.  One  method  of  double  mating  this  breed 
is  as  follows :  Cockerel  mating — Select  a  standard  colored 
male  which  shows  a  very  clear  and  distinct  lacing  from  the 
throat  down  the  entire  length  of  the  breast.  The  lacing  must 
be  well  defined,  but  should  not  be  too  heavy,  and  a  distinct 
contrast  between  the  ground  color  and  the  lacing  is  necessary 
in  order  to  bring  out  the  lacing  distinctly.  The  wing  flights, 
secondaries,  and  the  main  tail  feathers  should  be  one  uni- 
form color.  Likewise,  the  hackle,  back,  wing  bows  and 
saddle  should  be  a  uniform,  clear  blue-black.  The  tail 
coverts  and  sickles  should  be  a  dark  blue,  but  not  neces- 


Fig. 


67 — Spashed    White   Andalusian    female.     (From 
the    Kansas    State   Experiment    Station.) 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS  187 

sarily  quite  as  dark  as  the  hackle,  back,  wing  bows  and 
saddle.  The  fluff  should  also  be  laced,  if  possible  to  secure 
it.  It  is  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  females  for  this 
mating  should  be  very  clear  and  clean  laced  on  the  breast 
and  throat,  and  should  have  a  good,  dark  hackle.  It  is  not 
necessary  that  the  lacing  on  the  back  of  the  female  be  as 
clear.  The  wing  flights  and  main  tail  feathers  should  be 
standard  in  color.  Pullet  mating — For  this  mating  the 
male  should  be  of  standard  or  exhibition  color  except  on 
the  back,  where  more  blue  should  show  in  the  ground  color. 
Sickles  that  are  considerably  darker  than  the  main  tail  are 
desired,  as  they  will  give  contrast  to  the  tail  color.  The 
females  for  this  mating  should  be  standard.  It  is  very 
important  to  have  clear  tails  in  both  sexes.  In  either  mating, 
if  it  is  necessary  to  use  males  which  show  white  in  face,  they 
should  be  mated  to  females  which  have  very  strong  red  or 
even  gypsy  faces.  In  culling  the  chicks,  it  is  necessary  to 
hold  the  blue  birds  until  they  throw  their  chick  feathers, 
which  occurs  at  about  three  months  of  age,  as  it  is  im- 
possible to  tell  anything  about  the  lacing  before  this  time, 
since  it  does  not  show  until  then. 

The  following  defects  must  be  guarded  against,  in  so  far 
as  possible,  in  selecting  the  matings  for  this  breed :  too  large 
or  too  coarse  combs ;  white  in  face  of  males ;  too  large  or 
coarse  individuals  of  either  sex ;  arched  back,  often  called 
roached  back  ;  too  sharp  an  angle  at  the  juncture  of  tail  and 
back ;  birds  of  faded  blue  color ;  rusty  brown  top  color ; 
unevenness  of  color  in  hackle,  back,  wing  bows  and  saddles 
of  males;  lack  of  contrast  in  ground  color  and  lacing;  weak, 
washed-out  color,  especially  in  females ;  white  under  color 
or  white  in  blade  of  any  feathers ;  white  in  flights  or  main 
tail  feathers  (this  is  likely  to  be  associated  with  white  under 
color  and  very  light  ground  color)  ;  hens  laying  tinted  eggs  ; 
too  low  on  legs ;  too  high  tail  carriage,  especially  in  males ; 
thumb-marked  comb ;  lopped  comb  in  males ;  too  many 
points  to  comb ;    Minorca  comb  in  females ;    down  between 


188  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 

toes ;  sickle  feathers  of  males  not  darker  than  main  tail 
feathers;  undersized  birds;  stubs;  occasional  side  sprigs; 
too  short  body  ;    insufficient  lacing. 

The  Ancona 

This  breed  is  very  similar  in  type  to  the  Leghorn,  but  has 
a  distinct  type  of  its  own.  It  is  about  the  same  size  or  a 
trifle  larger.  The  fowls  are  active  and  alert,  rather  well  up 
on  legs  and  with  a  smooth  sw^eep  of  back  and  tail,  showing 
a  slight  angle  where  these  two  sections  join.  The  back  is  of 
good  length  and  it  slants  downward  slightly  from  the 
shoulders  to  tail,  in  this  respect  differing  from  the  Leghorn. 

The  Single  Comb  Ancona 

In  mating  this  variety  it  is  usual  to  use  only  a  single  or 
standard  mating.  Birds  of  both  sexes  are  therefore  selected 
which  are  as  near  standard  as  possible.  The  comb  of  the 
male  should  be  neat  and  medium  in  size,  strongly  and  firmly 
erect.  It  should  be  evenly  serrated  and  have  five  points. 
While  a  male  with  a  five-pointed  comb  should  be  selected 
for  the  mating,  if  it  becomes  necessary  to  choose  between 
one  with  a  four-point  and  one  with  a  six-point  comb,  the 
former  should  be  selected,  as  there  is  a  tendency  for  the 
comb  to  have  more  rather  than  less  than  five  points.  There 
should  be  no  tendency  for  the  blade  of  the  comb  to  follow 
the  neck,  but  it  should  come  straight  out  from  the  head. 
The  front  and  first  point  of  the  female  comb  should  be  erect, 
and  the  rest  turns  or  lops  to  one  side.  The  comb  in  both 
sexes  should  be  free  from  thumb  marks. 

Red  sometimes  occurs  in  the  ear  lobes,  especially  in  males, 
and  must  be  guarded  against.  However,  birds  with  red  in 
ear  lobes  rarely,  if  ever,  produce  offspring  with  white  in  face. 

The  black  of  the  plumage  should  be  free  from  purple 
barring.    The  white  tip  should  be  as  pure  white  as  possible. 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS 


189 


as  there  is  a  tendency  toward  an  ashy  hue  in  the  white  tip. 
The  smaller  and  the  whiter  the  tip  in  both  sexes,  the  more 
desirable.     There  is  also  a  tendency  toward  too  much  white 


^f/r1£^0'V-  /^, 


/?.^4y^:s^-  ;^.il 


Fiff.    68— Well-marked    Ancona    leatners.     M    indicates    male    and    F   female. 


190 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


in  the  wing  flights  and  secondaries  and  in  the  main  tail 
feathers.  This  must  be  selected  against.  In  general,  when 
a  bird  is  fine  colored  otherwise,  there  is  a  tendency  toward 
too  much  mottling.  Then,  too,  there  is  a  tendency  for  the 
birds  to  molt  lighter  with  each  successive  molt,  so  that  dark 

birds  are  prefer- 
able as  breeders. 
See  Fig.  69. 
There  may  also 
occur  red  in 
hackle,  saddle 
and  wing  bows 
of  males.  Do 
not  use  such  a 
bird  for  breed- 
ing except  when 
the  red  feathers 
are  few  in  num- 
ber, and  the 
male  is  out  of 
birds  free  from 
this  defecty  and 
is  an  exception- 
ally good  speci- 
men otherwise. 
^"\llen  hatched,  the  chicks  are  canary  and  black. 
The  young  stock  should  not  be  culled  too  young,  as  many 
showing  too  much  white  will  molt  in  good  in  color  when 
fully  developed.  White  in  face  is  not  a  troublesome  defect 
in  this  breed.  There  is  a  tendency  on  the  part  of  many 
breeders  to  try  to  get  their  birds  too  large.  Do  not  try  to 
breed  beyond  standard  size,  as  this  tends  to  hurt  their  type 
and  also  their  egg  production. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  too  large  combs  in 
both  sexes ;   side  sprigs ;  too  many  points  to  comb ;   thumb- 


Fi.er.  69 — Singrle  Comb  Anc^na  female  showinjr  the  te-nd- 

ency  to  grow  lighter  in  color  with  age.      (Photograph 

from  the   Bureau   of  Animal   Indu^stry,    United   States 

Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE    MEDITERRANEAN    CLASS  191 

marked  combs  in  both  sexes ;  comb  of  female  not  erect  in 
front,  but  flat  on  head,  as  in  the  Minorca  female  comb ;  white 
in  face ;  red  in  ear  lobes,  especially  in  males ;  too  much  white 
in  wing  flights  and  secondaries  and  in  main  tail  feathers ; 
ashy  color  in  the  white  tip  in  both  sexes ;  red  in  hackle, 
saddle  and  wing  bows  of  males;  purple  barring  in  both 
sexes ;  too  high  tails ;  willow  legs  which  are  more  preva- 
lent in  males  than  in  females. 

The  Rose  Comb  Ancona 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  same  points  must  be  considered 
as  in  the  Single  Comb  variety,  except  in  the  matter  of  comb. 
The  rose  comb  should  be  of  the  same  shape  as  the  Leghorn 
rose  comb,  but  if  anything  slightly  smaller  in  the  male.  It 
is  necessary  to  guard  against  combs  in  both  sexes  which  are 
too  high  or  too  broad,  which  have  a  spike  with  a  tendency  to 
follow  the  neck,  or  which  show  hollows  either  along  the 
sides  or  on  the  top  in  the  center. 


f-     C$A^\y^UU^    p-u^-^t^ 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  ENGLISH  CLASS 

The  Dorking 

J  here  are  three  varieties  of  this  breed,  the  White,  the 
Silver  Gray,  and  the  Colored.  In  shape  or  type  all  these 
varieties  are  supposed  to  be  identical.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
however,  the  White  Dorking  is  decidedly  inferior  in  type 
to  either  of  the  other  varieties.  The  White  variety  also 
differs  in  that  it  has  a  rose  comb,  the  other  varieties  being 
single  combed.  The  three  varieties  differ  in  size,  the 
Colored  being  largest  and  the  White  smallest. 

In  type,  the  Dorking  is  the  ideal  for  meat  production. 
The  body  of  both  sexes  should  be  long,  broad  and  deep, 
being  markedly  rectangular  in  shape.  The  body  is  also  low 
set  on  short  legs,  giving  the  birds  a  massive  appearance. 
The  breast  is  very  full  and  broad.  The  general  slope  of  the 
back  and  of  the  body  is  slightly  downward  from  front  to 
back.  In  selecting  breeders,  choose  those  of  both  sexes 
which  are  longest  of  body  and  shortest  of  leg.  Both  these 
qualities  are  greatly  to  be  desired  and  one  is  likely  to  go 
with  the  other.  Select  against  small  size  of  body,  against 
short  body  and  back,  and  against  long  legs.  The  rectangu- 
lar shape  of  body  and  the  rather  angular  junction  of  tail  and 
body,  particularly  in  the  male,  gives  the  birds  somewhat  of 
an  angular  appearance. 

The  neck  of  both  sexes  is  short  and  thick,  the  male's  being 
furnished  with  a  full,  long  hackle  which  comes  well  around 
over  the  shoulders  and  the  front  of  the  neck. 

The  Dorking  male's  tail  should  be  rather  large,  moderately 
low  carried  and  fairly  well  spread.  The  female's  tail,  while 
carried  at  about  the  same  angle  as  the  male's,  should  be 

1{>2 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  193 

rather  closely  folded  and  not  so  widely  spread  as  to  have  a 
fan-like  appearance.  In  fact,  it  is  really  broader  at  the  base 
than  at  the  end.  There  should,  however,  be  no  appearance 
of  scantiness  to  the  tail,  and  the  male  should  be  well  fur- 
nished with  long  sickles  and  an  abundant  and  long  saddle. 

The  single  comb  of  the  Silver  Gray  and  the  Colored 
Dorking  is  rather  large  and  is  erect  in  the  male,  but  lops  in 
the  female.  It  carries  six  points  or  serrations.  The  rose 
comb  of  the  White  Dorking  is  a  typical  rose  comb  in  both 
sexes,  of  rather  large  size. 

The  ear  lobe  should  be  red,  but  often  shows  some  white 
or  white  tinge.  A  solid  red  lobe  is  preferred,  other  points 
being  equal. 

The  Dorking  has  five  toes.  This  characteristic  distin- 
guishes this  breed  from  the  majority  of  those  commonly 
kept  in  the  United  States.  The  fifth  toe  should  be  close  to 
and  just  above  the  usual  fourth  toe.  but  the  two  toes  should 
be  separated  and  show  no  tendency  to  grow  together.  It 
often  tends  to  be  short  or  misf ormed,  but  should  be  long  and 
curve  upward  slightly.  The  other  toes  should  be  of  good 
length  and  well  spread.  The  shanks  are  short  and  stout, 
with  good  round  bone.  In  color,  both  the  skin  and  shanks 
are  white. 

The  Dorking  is  a  rather  loose-feathered  breed  like  the 
Brahma,  but  not  so  extreme  in  this  respect  as  the  Cochin. 
Tight  feathering  is  a  defect.  The  feathering  is  also  of  good 
length,  as  shown  in  the  well-developed  sickles,  saddle  and 
hackle  of  the  male. 

In  order  to  keep  up  the  size  of  the  birds,  it  is  important 
that  they  be  hatched  early  and  have  an  opportunity  to  get  a 
long  period  of  growth.  It  must  also  be  remembered  that 
the  chicks  will  not  stand  damp,  rainy  weather  very  well. 

In  breeding  the  Dorkings  the  following  defects  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  small  size ;  short  back 
or  body ;  long  legs ;  scanty  appearance  to  tail ;  high  tail ; 
too  large  comb,  either  rose  or  single,  especially  in  males; 


194  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

prominent  white  ear  lobes,  especially  in  males;  irregularly 
shaped  or  short  fourth  or  fifth  toe;  off  side  spurs,  that  is, 
spurs  on  the  outside  of  the  legs  in  both  sexes ;  short  hackles 
and  saddles  in  males,  and  too  well-spread  or  fan-shaped 
tails  in  females. 

The  White  Dorking 

In  breeding  this  variety  it  is  common  to  use  the  single  or 
standard  mating.  Select  birds  of  both  sexes  which  are  as 
near  standard  as  possible,  both  in  type  and  color.  Be  sure 
that  the  combs  of  both  male  and  female  are  set  low  and 
square  on  a  good  broad  base.  Do  not  use  birds  as  breeders 
whose  combs  are  unusually  high  or  which  tip  or  lean  to  one 
side.  Use  birds  which  are  pure  white  in  color,  free  from 
any  brassiness  or  creaminess  and  from  any  foreign  color  or 
ticking.  This  variety  is  the  smallest  of  the  Dorkings  and 
runs  poorest  in  type.  It  is  especially  important  therefore 
to  guard  against  small  birds  and  those  with  short  body  or 
too  long  legs.  High  tails  are  also  rather  troublesome.  For 
defects  to  guard  against  which  are  common  to  the  breed,  see 
page  193. 

The  Silver  Gray  Dorking 

This  variety  is  medium  in  size  between  the  smaller  \Miite 
variety  and  the  larger  Colored  variety.  In  type,  however,  it 
runs  quite  good,  probably  as  good  as  the  Colored. 

In  breeding  this  variety  a  single  or  standard  mating  may 
be  used,  or  a  standard  male  may  be  mated  to  two  kinds  of 
females.  This  latter  method  is  used  by  some  of  the  most 
successful  breeders.  For  this  mating  select  a  male  which 
both  in  type  and  color  is  as  near  as  possible  to  the  standard. 
In  type,  select  the  largest  body  with  the  shortest  legs.  In 
color,  a  fully  matured  male  should  be  as  free  as  possible 
from  any  black  on  his  white  parts  or  any  white  on  his  black 
parts.     He  should  be  free  from  any  frosting  in  breast  or 


THE   ENGLISH    CLASS  195 

fluff.  Often  frosting  shows  in  fluff  when  the  breast  is  solid 
black.  The  white  should  be  free  from  any  rustiness  or 
creaminess  and  the  black  should  have  a  good  greenish  sheen. 


fll 


» 


ff/iC/<  Af 


.S/fCn  /■' 


j^iz^^i^^y^r 


B/FiT^S     ^ 


Fig.    70 — Well-marked    Silver   Gray   Dorking   feathers.     M    indicates   male  and 

F   female.      (Photograph   from  the   Bureau   of  Animal    Industry,    United    States 

Department  of  Agriculture.) 


196  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 

The  hackle  should  be  as  clear  a  silvery  white  as  can  be 
secured,  but  usually  there  will  be  some  striping  in  lower 
hackle.  The  clearer  the  hackle  the  freer  the  saddle  will  be 
from  any  tendency  toward  striping.  The  clearest  top- 
colored  males  are  quite  likely  to  show  frosting,  however. 
\\'ith  him  mate  two  kinds  of  females,  the  first  light  females, 
which  produce  the  best  males,  and  the  second  dark  females, 
which  produce  the  best  females. 

The  light  females  to  select  will  be  among  the  lightest  of 
the  flock,  having  an  ashy  gray  top  color,  while  the  dark 
females  best  to  use  will  be  among  the  darkest  of  the  flock, 
their  general  top  color  being  a  slaty  or  silvery  grav.  These 
dark  females  are  standard  in  color.  In  selecting  these  two 
kinds  of  females,  it  will  be  found  to  be  a  great  aid  to  hold 
two  females  side  by  side  so  as  to  compare  the  wings,  back, 
breast,  head,  throat  and  hackle  of  each. 

The  lighter  colored  female  should  have  ashy  gray  wings 
and  back  with  fine  stippling  and  as  little  shafting  as  pos- 
sible. The  breast  should  be  as  deep  a  salmon  red  as  pos- 
sible, free  from  mealy  shading  or  edging  of  a  lighter  color. 
IMealy  shading  in  the  breast  of  females  tends  to  produce 
f  rostiness  in  the  breast  and  fluff  of  males.  The  head,  throat 
and  hackle  should  be  silvery  white,  the  upper  part  of  the 
neck,  the  throat  and  the  head  should  be  nearly  clear  white 
and  the  remainder  of  the  hackle  as  free  from  black  as  pos- 
sible. Such  females  will  produce  males  with  hackles  most 
nearly  free  from  black. 

The  darker  or  standard  colored  female  should  have  slaty 
or  silvery  gray  wings  and  back,  the  stippling  being  extremely 
fine  and  as  free  from  shafting  as  possible.  The  breast 
should  be  a  clear  bright  cherry  red,  free  from  any  mealy 
shading  or  edging  of  a  lighter  color.  The  head  and  throat 
should  be  silvery  white,  as  entirely  free  from  any  brown  as 
possible.  The  hackle  should  be  silvery  white,  with  a  clear, 
distinct  black  stripe  through  the  center  of  each  feather. 

Light  shafting  is  present  in  practically  all  females  and  is 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  197 

especially  prevalent  over  the  shoulders.     Where  it  is  present 
only  in  the  shoulders,  this  is  not  a  very  bad  defect. 

In  mating  the  Silver  Gray  Dorking,  guard,  in  so  far  as 
possible,  against  the  following  defects,  which  are  more  or 
less  common  in  this  variety,  in  addition  to  the  defects  which 
are  common  to  the  breed  (see  page  193)  ;  stripy  hackle  or 
sriddle  in  males ;  any  white  in  the  black  or  black  in  the  white 
of  males;  rustiness  or  creaminess  in  the  white,  especially  in 
the  hackle;  any  very  noticeable  marking  of  brown  on  the 
head,  wings  or  hackle  of  females ;  patchy  or  uneven  color 
on  breast  of  females ;  light  shafting  in  females. 

The  Colored  Dorking 

This  is  the  largest  of  the  Dorkings  and  in  type  runs  good. 
In  breeding,  it  is  usual  to  employ  a  single  or  standard  mating. 
Both  the  males  and  females  should  be  chosen  as  near 
slandard  as  possible,  both  in  type  and  color.  In  mating,  it 
is  necessary  to  guard  against  white,  silver  or  silver  white 
hackle  in  males,  as  this  will  lighten  the  color  of  the  females. 
AMiite  or  silver  white  hackles  generally  point  to  some  previ- 
ous introduction  of  Silver  Gray  blood.  The  hackle  and 
saddle  of  males  should  match  in  color,  but  even  when  the 
hackle  comes  pretty  good  in  color  and  is  quite  well  striped, 
there  is  a  tendency  for  the  saddle  to  be  silvery  in  color  and 
to  be  lacking  in  striping.  \Miite  in  the  wing  flights  of  both 
sexes,  but  particularly  in  the  male,  must  be  guarded  against, 
as  must  also  too  much  silvery  color  in  the  wing  bows  and 
saddles  of  males. 

It  is  also  necessary  to  be  careful  not  to  use  females  which 
are  in  general  too  light  in  color.  Females  are  desired  whose 
hackles  show  as  much  white  as  can  be  obtained.  At  best 
this  will  only  be  a  little  white  up  on  the  head.  Females 
should  also  be  as  free  from  gray  as  possible,  and  the  lower 
part  of  the  body  should  be  dull  black,  while  the  upper  part 


198 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


should  be  a  blue  black,  with  wide,  prominent  white  shafting. 
For  defects  to  guard  against  which  are  common  to  the  breed, 
see  page  193. 


coLO/?sn 

jDO/?/<//VO 


^.'■?£-^ST . 


yT^C//-/^  /V 


^/PS'^ST-A/ 


Fig.    71— \\  ell-marked   Colored    Dorking   feathers.     M    indicates    male  and   F 

female.      (Photograph    from   the   Bureau   of   Animal    Industry,    United    Statca 

Department  cf  Agriculture.) 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  199 

The  Red  Cap 

This  breed  is  one  of  good  size,  but  not  quite  so  large  as 
the  Silver  Gray  or  the  Colored  Dorking.  In  type,  it  is 
somewhat  more  of  an  upstanding  fowl,  the  shanks  being 
medium  in  length  rather  than  very  short.  The  body  is  deep, 
broad  and  long,  especially  in  the  female,  and  the  breast  is 
very  round  and  full.  In  general,  the  birds  are  shorter  in 
body  and  more  rounded  in  contour  than  the  rectangular 
Dorking.  The  back  in  both  sexes  is  straight  and  slopes 
downward  slightly  from  shoulders  to  tail,  llie  tail,  which 
is  well  spread  and  of  good  size,  is  carried  in  a  medium 
position,  neither  high  nor  low. 

The  comb  is  characteristic  of  the  breed.  In  fact,  it  is  the 
comb  which  gives  the  breed  its  name.  It  is  rose,  large  in 
size,  round,  broad,  setting  squarely  on  the  head,  with  no 
tendency  to  tilt  or  tip  to  one  side,  which  may  be  so  bad  as 
to  obstruct  the  sight.  Like  other  rose  combs,  it  should  be 
free  from  hollows  in  the  center  or  along  the  sides.  It  should 
be  square  in  front  and  the  spike  should  be  well  developed,  of 
medium  length,  and  extend  straight  back  off  the  head,  with 
no  tendency  to  turn  up  or  down.  It  is  necessary  to  guard 
against  narrow  combs. 

The  ear  lobe  should  be  red.  In  this  respect  the  breed  is 
almost  unique,  for  the  eggs  are  white,  and  it  is  very  rare  to 
fmd  a  breed  with  red  lobes  which  lays  a  white  egg.  White 
ear  lobes  or  white  in  ear  lobes  not  infrequently  occurs  and 
nuist  be  guarded  against. 

The  feathering  is  fairly  profuse,  showing  especially  in 
long,  flowing  hackle  and  saddle  in  the  male  bird,  and  in  a 
good-sized  and  well-furnished  tail. 

The  legs  and  toes  are  a  slate  or  leaden  blue  in  color. 

In  maling,  use  a  single  or  standard  mating;  that  is, 
breeders  of  both  sexes  which  are  as  near  the  standard  as 
possible.  In  the  male,  be  sure  that  the  red  sections  of  the 
hackle,  back  and  saddle  are  a  good  red  in  color  and  are  not 


200 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


light,  approaching  a  straw  color.  This  is  important,  as  light 
colored  males  tend  to  produce  too  light  or  washed-out 
colored  females.     The  black  striping  of  hackle,  back  and 


m 


/?eo  c^/=> 


Yvs    72— Well-marked   Red   Cap   feathers.     M    in-Mcates   male   and   F   female. 
(Photograph  from  the   Bureau   of   Animal    Industry,    United    States    Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.) 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  201 

saddle  should  be  a  blue  black  or  purple  black,  without  any 
green  sheen.  The  black  and  red  wing  color  of  the  male 
should  be  distinct.  The  breast  and  fluff  should  be  solid 
black.  Red  ticking  or  solid  red  feathers  in  the  breast  of 
males  is  a  very  bad  fault.  The  general  color  of  the  red 
sections  of  the  male  should  be  rich  and  deep. 

In  the  female,  the  ground  color  should  be  about  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Rhode  Island  Red,  each  feather  terminating 
with  a  black  marking  shaped  like  a  half  moon.  Shafting  in 
all  sections  of  the  females  is  quite  common  and  is  a  defect. 
Too  light  a  ground  color  in  both  sexes,  but  particularly  in  the 
females,  is  quite  a  serious  difficulty,  and  breeders  must  be 
selected  which  are  free  from  this  defect  if  possible.  See 
Fig,  72. 

In  making  the  mating,  the  following  defects  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  tipped  or  lopped 
combs  ;  narrow  combs ;  not  a  well-developed  spike  to  comb ; 
red  ticking  or  solid  red  feathers  in  breast  of  male ;  shafting 
in  all  sections  of  females ;  too  light  a  ground  color,  especially 
in  females ;  too  small  birds ;  white  in  ear  lobes ;  too  light 
or  straw-colored  hackle,  back  or  saddle  in  males;  dull  black 
stripe  in  hackle,  back  and  saddle,  lacking  the  purple  sheen ; 
black  stripe  in  hackle,  back  and  saddle,  showing  a  green 
sheen. 

The  Orpington 

The  Orpington  is  a  large  bird  of  decidedly  massive 
appearance.  The  very  full,  rounded  breast  and  the  slight 
forward  tilt  of  the  body  of  the  most  typical  specimens  gives 
the  whole  bird  the  appearance  of  tilting  or  tipping  forward. 
The  body  is  not  only  long  and  broad,  but  is  very  deep,  and 
it  is  this  depth  of  body  which  does  much  to  give  the  Orping- 
ton its  massive  appearance.  There  should  be  no  tendency 
toward  a  straight,  flat-sided  or  narrow  bird,  as  the  Orping- 
ton should  be  round  or  well  sprung  over  the  back  and  sides. 


202  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

These  fowls  are  smooth  and  well  rounded  in  all  sections. 
Excessively  large  or  too  small  birds  should  not  be  selected 
for  breeders. 

Hie  back  is  really  long,  but  because  of  its  rise  to  join  the 
tail  and  because  of  the  extreme  depth  of  the  body,  it  appears, 
especially  in  males,  as  not  very  long,  or  even  rather  short. 
The  length  of  back  of  the  female  is  more  apparent.  The 
back  has  a  slight  slope  downward  from  the  tail  to  the 
shoulders.    It  is  very  broad  as  well  as  long. 

The  breast  is  well  developed,  being  broad,  deep  and  very 
full  and  rounded.  It  is  therefore  very  prominent.  Besides 
being  long,  broad  and  deep,  the  body  has  a  long  keel  so  that 
its  underline  is  also  long.  It  is  fairly  low  set,  but  not  so  low 
that  the  feathering  covers  the  hock  joints. 

The  tail  of  both  sexes  is  not  carried  high  and  is  well 
spread.  The  junction  of  tail  and  back  is  perfectly  smooth, 
so  that  there  is  no  break  or  angle  between  the  two  sections. 

The  neck  of  both  male  and  female  is  short  and  stout, 
which  brings  the  head  only  slightly  above  the  level  of  the 
tail. 

The  shanks  are  moderately  short,  but  should  not  be  too 
short.  They  should  be  of  heavy  bone  and  set  well  apart.  A 
majority  of  males  which  have  good  size  of  body  and  of 
bone  are  inclined  to  be  a  trifle  long  in  shank.  The  appear- 
ance of  stubs  and  down  in  this  breed  is  by  no  means  rare 
and  must  always  be  selected  against  carefully. 

The  comb,  which  is  single,  and  the  w^attles  should  be  of 
medium  size.  Frequently,  especially  in  males,  they  are  too 
large.  While  the  comb  may  be  and  should  be  slightly  larger 
than  the  typical  Plymouth  Rock  comb,  it  should  not  be 
excessive.  It  should  have  a  firm  base,  should  be  well  set  on 
head  and  have  five  even  and  symmetrical  serrations.  The 
blade  should  follow  the  shape  of  the  head  and  neck  rather 
closely.  The  female  comb  should  be  proportionately 
smaller,  so  that  it  will  not  twist  or  lop.  Thumb  marks  in 
males  and  side  sprigs  in  both  sexes  are  to  be  avoided. 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  203 

The  ear  lobes  should  be  a  good  solid  red.  entirely  free 
from  any  white.  \Miite  in  ear  lobe,  as  in  the  Plyniouth  Rock 
(see  page  71),  is  sometimes  troublesome,  but  this  defect  is 
more  apt  to  develop  with  age. 

The  feathering  should  be  rather  loose  and  abundant,  but 
should  not  be  of  such  excessive  length  as  to  approach  the 
Cochin. 

In  breeding  the  Orpington,  the  following  defects  common 
to  the  breed  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible : 
too  large  or  too  small  birds  ;  deficient  breast ;  short  back  or 
body;  body  lacking  in  depth;  narrow  back  and  body;  body 
not  set  low  enough,  or  too  long  shanks;  too  fine  or  light 
bone  of  shanks ;  too  short  shanks ;  too  large  comb ;  blade 
of  comb  not  following  the  head  and  neck ;  twisted  or  lopped 
comb  in  females  ;  thumb-marked  comb  ;  side  sprigs  ;  stubs 
and  down  ;  white  in  ear  lobe  ;  too  long  or  too  loose  feather- 
ing ;  split  tail  in  males  ;  too  long  and  narrow  heads  ;  straight, 
flat-sided  birds  ;  too  light  eyes. 

The  Buff  Orpington 

In  mating  this  variety,  it  is  most  common  to  use  a  single 
or  standard  mating,  in  which  breeders  of  both  sexes  are 
chosen  which  most  nearly  approach  the  standard  require- 
ments. The  male  should  be  selected  which  has  the  evenest 
and  the  soundest  color  throughout,  that  is,  which  is  free 
from  white,  black  or  black  peppering.  The  exact  shade  of 
color  is  not  so  important  as  to  have  the  color  even,  so  that 
the  different  sections  will  harmonize  and  blend  with  one 
another  without  marked  contrast.  His  under  color  should 
be  as  sound  as  possible  and  particular  attention  should  be 
paid  to  soundness  of  under  color  in  hackle  and  at  base  of 
tail  and  to  the  wing  quills,  to  see  that  they  are  sound  buff*, 
not  white.  A  male  with  good  surface  color,  but  with  a 
weakness  or  even  white  in  under  color,  may  produce  many 
fine-colored  pullets,  but  will  rarely  produce  a  cockerel  sound 
in  his  wings.     The  cock  bird  which  molts  in  solid  in  under 


204  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

color  of  hackle  and«saddle  is  more  valuable  as  a  breeder  than 
one  which  is  sound  as  a  cockerel  but  fails  to  molt  in  sound. 
Most  males  carry  a  little  smoke  or  brownish  cast  or  black 
peppering  in  the  main  tail  feathers.  This  will  only  be 
noticed  when  the  bird  is  handled.  Such  a  male  is  better  for 
breeding  than  one  with  a  sound  buff  tail,  but  with  weakness 
of  color  in  other  sections.  A  little  smoke  in  the  short  wing 
coverts  or  in  the  secondaries  is  not  a  fatal  weakness  in  a 
breeding  male,  but  one  free  from  this,  if  otherwise  good,  is 
preferred.  In  general,  in  the  matings,  if  the  male  is  a  trifle 
light,  use  females  one  or  two  shades  darker,  and  if  he  is  a 
little  dark,  use  females  one  or  two  shades  lighter.  Do  not 
under  any  circumstances  make  matings  in  which  the  birds 
are  the  extreme  in  color,  as  the  majority  of  chicks  will  be 
mottled  and  mealy.  It  is  especially  important  to  select 
against  females  as  breeders  which  show  mealiness  on  the 
wing  bows.  The  use  of  such  females  will  lead  to  general 
color  troubles  in  the  offspring,  such  as  white  in  the 
secondaries  of  males.  White  in  the  flights  of  males  may 
only  mean  that  there  has  been  some  accident  or  check  in  the 
growth  of  the  individual  concerned,  and  if  that  is  the  case 
this  is,  of  course,  not  a  serious  breeding  defect.  If  white 
occurs  in  the  secondaries,  however,  it  is  a  serious  defect, 
which  usually  comes  from  the  use  of  mealy-winged  females 
as  breeders.  ^late  birds  which  are  not  more  than  one  or 
two  shades  of  color  apart. 

It  is  a  common  error  to  leave  out  of  all  these  matings  any 
birds  with  real  strength  of  color  pigment.  This  leads  to  a 
loss  of  color.  Few  sound-colored  cockerels  will  be  produced 
from  a  light  mating,  and  ^^•hile  the  females  will  be  better  in 
color,  the  majority  of  pullets  will  molt  too  light  as  hens. 
Birds  of  stronger  color  must  be  bred  carefully  and  perhaps 
only  occasionally,  but  they  must  not  be  discarded  entirely, 
or  the  flock  will  lose  in  color.  In  general,  the  same  color 
considerations  in  mating^  this  variety  apply  as  in  other  buff 
varieties.     (See  page  89.) 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  205 

Red  on  the  outside  of  the  legs  of  males  should  not  be  con- 
sidered a  defect.    Most  birds  showing  this  are  very  vigorous. 

The  following  defects,  in  addition  to  those  common  to 
the  breed  (page  203),  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as 
possible :  uneven  color ;  too  heavy  color  on  shoulders  and 
back  of  males ;  black,  white,  smokiness  or  black  ticking  in 
wings  and  tail ;  too  light  or  white  under  color  at  base  of 
hackle,  at  base  of  tail  or  in  saddle  of  males;  mealiness  in 
females  and  too  light  color  in  females. 

The  Black  Orpington 

This  variety  is  the  most  massive,  the  lowest  set,  and  the 
most  loosely  feathered  of  the  Orpingtons.  It  is  generally 
considered  to  run  the  best  in  type.  In  mating  this  variety, 
the  same  general  color  considerations  must  be  observed  as 
in  any  other  black  variety.  The  single  or  standard  mating 
is  generally  used.  Select  a  male  with  very  dark  under  color 
and  with  as  good  surface  color  as  possible.  It  is  rare  to  find 
the  bird  with  the  best  surface  color,  strongest  in  under  color. 
One  of  the  most  common  defects  in  the  surface  color  of 
males  is  purple  barring.  It  is  also  one  of  the  most  difficult 
to  eradicate.  Red  in  hackle,  saddle  and  back  is  also  a  some- 
what common  defect.  !Mate  with  the  male  selected  to  head 
the  pen,  females  with  as  soft  a  color  as  can  be  had  with 
dark  under  color.  The  growing  stock  and  the  old  stock 
during  the  molt  must  have  good  care  and  feeding  or  their 
color  will  not  be  good,  no  matter  what  the  breeding. 

Birds  with  black  beaks,  having  as  few  white  markings  as 
possible,  should  be  used.  The  darker  the  eyes  the  better, 
since  a  black  eye  is  desired,  but  nearly  all  eyes  have  a  dark- 
brown  cast.     Light  eyes  should  be  selected  against. 

The  White  Orpington 

In  breeding  this  variety,  it  is  usual  to  employ  a  single  or 
standard  mating,   selecting  breeders   of   both   sexes   which 


206  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

most  nearly  approach  the  standard  both  in  type  and  color. 
The  same  general  color  considerations  apply  to  this  variety 
as  to  any  other  white  variety.  Birds  of  both  sexes  should 
be  as  white  as  possible,  free  from  brassiness,  creaminess, 
and  from  any  black  ticking  or  foreign  color.  Brassiness  is 
quite  prevalent  and  shows  both  as  a  brassy  tinge  to  the  top 
color  of  the  male  and  as  a  brassy  tinge  on  the  hackle  of  the 
females.  AMiile  creaminess  is  also  rather  troublesome,  it 
may  often  be  due  to  the  sappy  or  immature  condition  of 
the  feathers  of  young  birds,  or  birds  which  have  just  molted. 
If  that  is  the  case,  this  creaminess  will  be  lost  as  the  feathers 
mature,  and  is  therefore  not  a  defect  which  need  count  in 
breeding.  In  selecting  breeders,  great  care  should  be  taken 
to  see  that  the  quills  are  white.  If  the  quills  are  yellow,  this 
is  apt  to  be  reproduced  in  the  offspring.  Black  ticking 
throughout  the  plumage,  but  particularly  in  the  wing  and 
tail,  is  quite  common,  especially  in  females,  and  is,  of  course, 
undesirable.  Black  ticking  in  males  is  mostly  found  in  the 
tail.  However,  it  frequently  happens  that  birds  showing 
some  ticking  are  whitest  in  color.  Foreign  color  in  the 
plumage  may  occur  as  red,  buff  or  partly  black  feathers, 
especially  on  the  shoulders  of  males.  This  should  be 
selected  against,  as  it  is  apt  to  be  transmitted  to  the  off- 
spring. A  little  red  occasionally  occurs  in  the  hackle  or 
saddle  of  males.  AMiile  this  is  undesirable,  a  male  possess- 
ing it,  if  an  exceptional  individual  otherwise,  may  be  used, 
as  it  does  not  appear  to  be  transmitted  to  a  very  large 
proportion  of  the  oifspring.  In  selecting  good  color,  it  must 
be  borne  in  mind  that  the  very  late  hatched  cockerels  are 
always  whiter  than  the  earlier  hatched  cockerels.  This  is 
simply  due  to  the  fact  that  the  mature  plumage  of  the  late 
hatched  birds  has  not  been  so  long  subjected  to  the  effects 
of  the  weather  as  in  the  case  of  the  earlier  hatched  birds. 
The  whiter  color,  due  to  later  hatching,  only  lasts  therefore 
through  the  first  molt  and  must  not  be  given  undue  weight 
in  selecting  breeders.    The  shanks  in  this  variety  are  somer 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  207 

times  blue  or  creamy.  Both  shades  of  color  are  defects  and 
should  be  selected  against,  as  a  white  shank  is  desired. 
Creamy  bills  or  beaks  and  too  light  eyes  are  other  defects  to 
be  guarded  against.  For  defects  common  to  the  breed, 
which  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see 
page  203.  Some  of  the  newly  hatched  chicks  are  gray  or 
smoky  in  color  and  these  are  apt  to  develop  into  the  whitest 
birds. 

The  Blue  Orpington 

In  breeding  this  variety,  both  the  single  or  standard 
mating  and  a  double  mating  can  be  employed.  In  the  single 
mating,  use  a  dark  male  in  which  the  ground  color  is  dark 
blue  and  the  hackle,  back,  wing  bows  and  saddle  are  of  such 
a  dark  blue  as  to  be  almost  black.  This  male  should  be  well 
laced  on  throat  and  breast.  A\'ith  him  mate  a  well-laced, 
standard-colored  female.  It  is  from  the  dark  male  that  the 
good  lacing  on  the  female  offspring  is  obtained.  If  a  light 
male  is  used  there  will  be  little  or  no  lacing  on  the  female. 
Some  of  the  females  produced  from  this  mating  will  be 
black.  Keep  these  and  breed  them  to  the  dark  males  in 
order  to  get  males  with  good  dark  color.  A  blue  male,  mated 
to  a  black  female,  will  get  as  large  a  percentage  of  blue 
chickens  as  will  be  obtained  in  a  straight  blue  mating.  Do 
not  use  males  as  breeders  which  show  brassy,  red  or  straw- 
colored  head  or  back.  A  little  light  in  under  color  is  not 
objectionable  in  the  male.  Do  not  use  females  with  light 
hackles,  as  this  causes  poor  ground  color  and  may  result  in 
obtaining  white  flights. 

The  general  color  of  the  Blue  Orpingtons  is  the  same  as 
that  of  the  Blue  Andalusian,  except  that  the  males  tend  to 
run  darker  in  color  and  the  lacing  on  both  males  and  females 
is  not  as  good  as  in  the  Andalusian.  Sometimes  Blue 
Orpington  chicks  which  have  black  plumage  while  they  are 
still  in  their  chick  feathers  will  molt  to  ^  blue.  This  never 
occurs  in  Blue  Andalusians. 


208  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

Since  the  same  principles  apply  in  mating  the  Blue  Orping- 
ton as  in  the  Blue  Andalusian,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the 
matter  on  Blue  Andalusians  (page  181)  for  more  detailed 
information  concerning  the  matings  for  blue  color. 

The  Cornish 

The  Cornish  is  essentially  a  meat  type.  With  its  typical 
erect  carriage,  its  appearance  of  great  strength,  its  heavy 
flesh,  good  vigor,  its  low  set  body,  its  extreme  breadth,  the 
development  of  its  breast  and  its  close  feathering,  it  is  quite 
distinct  from  any  other  breed.  The  general  outline,  as 
viewed  from  the  side,  may  be  likened  to  an  egg  with  its 
larger  end,  represented  by  the  upper  breast,  foremost  and 
uppermost.  The  erectness  of  carriage  is  sufficient  to  bring 
the  front  point  of  the  breast  bone  in  line  or  on  a  level  with 
the  junction  of  the  tail  and  the  back. 

The  body  is  low  set,  due  mainly  to  the  shortness  of  the 
shanks  and  to  the  fact  that  the  thigh  is  set  high  up  on  the 
body  under  the  wing.  Old  birds  should  be  very  low.  broad 
and  deep,  while  young  birds,  unless  up  to  adult  weight,  are 
apt  to  appear  a  little  taller  or  more  leggy  and  not  quite  so 
blocky.  However,  if  this  deficiency  is  slight,  they  will  usu- 
ally gain  the  desired  type  as  they  settle  down  and  fill  out 
with  age.  In  selecting  low-set  birds  for  breeders,  avoid  the 
pit  game  type.  The  body  should  be  short  or  medium  in 
length,  not  long.  The  body  should  be  well  rounded  at  the 
sides,  the  ribs  being  well  sprung.  Never  use  a  bird  with  a 
flat-sided  body. 

The  back  should  have  a  decided  slope  downward  from  the 
base  of  the  neck  to  the  tail.  The  backbone  should  be  free 
from  angular  joints  and  nearly  straight,  but  the  feathers 
should  lie  so  tight  as  to  make  the  top  line  of  the  back  appear 
slightly  convex.  The  back  should  be  very  broad  at  the 
shoulders  and  this  breadth  should  be  carried  back  well  to  the 
hips,  from  which  point  it  narrows  to  the  stern.  The  breadth 
between  the  hips  is  necessary  to  make  room  for  the  broad 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS 


209 


breast,  carried  well  back  between  the  legs.     The  shoulders 

are  very  broad  and  heavy  and  are  carried  level  or  slightly 

drooping  to  conform  to  the  slight  slope  of  the  back  from 

the  spine  toward  each  side.    While  the  back  has  a  decided 

downward 

slope,  the  angle 

between    the 

back     and     the 

tail  is  not  sharp, 

due  to  the  low 

carriage    of    the 

tail,    but    it     is 

distinct.      There 

should     be     no 

cushion    in    the 

female. 

The  WM  n  g  s 
should  be  short, 
well  rounded, 
tightly  folded 
and  carried 
close  to  the 
body.  The  great 
breadth  of 
shoulders  is  de- 
sirable if  for  no 
other  reason 
than  because  it 
means  strong 
wing  muscles, 
which  in  turn  require  strong  breast  muscles,  thus  making  for 
breadth  and  roundness  of  breast. 

The  breast  is  unusually  broad,  prominent  and  well  round- 
ed, and  extends  well  back  between  the  legs.  It  is  this 
breast  development  which  makes  this  breed  so  desirable 
for  the  table. 


Fig.  73 — Dark  Cornish  male  showing  massive  com- 
pact low  set  body,  broad  shoulders,  broad  chest,  well- 
spread  legs  set  in  line  with  the  shoulders  and  fear- 
less expression.  (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of 
Animal  Industry,  United  States  Department  of 
Agriculture.) 


210  ,  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 

The  neck  is  rather  short  and  very  strong,  with  the  end  of 
the  hackle  just  touching  the  shoulders.  It  is  nicely  arched 
just  below  the  head,  but  the  rest  of  the  neck  is  straight  and 
comes  straight  off  the  body,  having  no  suggestion  of  the 
curved  or  goose  neck.  The  neck,  particularly  in  front,  is 
not  full  feathered.  Avoid  a  wide,  full-flowing  cape,  as  it 
detracts  from  the  broad  shoulders. 

The  tail  should  be  small,  short,  narrow  and  closely 
folded.  The  sickles  and  coverts  should  be  narrow  and 
just  long  enough  to  cover  the  main  tail  feathers.  The 
tail  should  be  low  carried,  either  horizontal  or  slightly 
drooping.  Long,  bushy  tails,  which  ma}^  occur  especially 
in  the  White  Laced  Red  Cornish,  should  be  avoided. 
Never  use  a  male  as  a  breeder  which  has  long,  loose  or 
abundant  saddle  feathers,  as  he  is  apt  to  produce  females 
with  cushions. 

The  legs  should  be  wide  apart  and  straight,  with  no 
suggestion  of  knock-knees  or  bent  or  cow  hocks.  They 
should  be  set  well  forward  under  the  body  in  line  with 
the  shoulders,  giving  the  bird  a  well-balanced  appearance. 
The  thighs  should  be  of  moderate  length,  not  short,  and 
should  be  thick  and  bulging,  with  firm  muscle.  The 
shanks  should  be  large  and  short,  denoting  strength  and 
causing  the  low-set  body  appearance.  The  bone  of  the 
legs  should  be  heavy,  showing  plenty  of  substance,  well 
rounded  and  the  scales  smooth.  Avoid  light  or  flat  bones 
in  the  shanks.  Discard  as  a  breeder  any  birds  with 
stubs.  The  color  of  shanks  is  yellow  or  orange.  The 
feet  should  be  large  and  sound,  the  toes  well  spread, 
rather  long  and  very  strong.     See  Fig.  73. 

The  head  should  be  short,  deep  and  broad,  with  a  short, 
strong,  well-curved  beak.  A  narrow,  pinched  head  is  un- 
desirable. The  eyes  are  set  wide  apart,  with  the  crown 
or  brows  projecting  somewhat  over  them.  This  pro- 
jection of  the  crown  is  generally  thought  to  indicate 
atrong  constitution,     It  also  gives  the  bird  a  rather  fierce^ 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  211 

savage  expression.  The  eyes  should  be  rather  large, 
bright  and  prominent.  They  are  pale  yellow,  approach- 
ing pearl  in  color.  Discard  any  birds  as  breeders  which 
have  red  eyes,  as  these  have  been  difficult  to  breed  out 
of  the  Cornish. 

The  comb  is  a  distinct  pea,  like  the  Brahma,  but  is 
rather  small  and  fits  the  head  closely.  Single  combs  but 
seldom  occur  and  must,  of  course,  never  be  used  for 
breeding.  Too  large  and  tipped  or  lopped  pea  combs 
must  also  be  avoided.  The  wattles  should  be  small. 
Absence  of  wattles  is  preferable  to  large  wattles.  The 
ear  lobe  should  be  small  and  red.  \Miite  in  the  ear  lobe 
must  be  avoided. 

The  feathering  is  characteristic  of  the  breed.  The 
feathers  must  be  short,  narrow  and  wiry,  full  of  life  and 
very  glossy.  When  the  feathers  are  bent  up  from  the 
body  they  should  snap  back  into  place  like  a  spring.  The 
bird's  plumage  should  be  almost  skin  tight,  fitting  like  a 
coat  of  mail.  Any  tendency  toward  looseness  of  feathers, 
softness,  or  length  of  feather  must  be  carefully  selected 
against. 

In  size,  the  Cornish  is  large  and  very  meaty.  The 
White  and  White  Laced  Red  varieties  are  smaller  than 
the  Dark,  although  the  standard  weights  for  the  Dark 
and  White  are  the  same.  In  mating,  it  is  well  to  use  a 
large  cockerel  of  good  type,  say  one  of  10  pounds,  if  pos- 
sible, in  the  Dark,  and  one  of  8  pounds  in  the  White  and 
White  Laced  Red  varieties,  with  hens  two  or  three  years 
old,  and  of  large  size,  strong  bone,  and  great  substance 
and  type.  Select  a  cockerel  very  wide  between  the  thighs 
and  with  short,  massive  shanks.  However,  do  not  run 
to  extremes,  as  the  Cornish  cockerels,  which  are  very  low 
set,  never  make  the  size  of  those  which  at  first  appear  to 
be  a  little  higher  on  legs.  If  cocks  are  used,  select  for 
type,  bone,  vigor  and  activity,  rather  than  extraordinary 
size,  as  the  very  large  cocks  are  apt  to  be  clumsy  and 


212  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDIN'G    OF    POULTRY 

their  fertility  much  lower  than  a   moderate   sized,   vig- 
orous male. 

In  mating,  avoid  in  so  far  as  possible  the  following  de- 
fects which  are  characteristic  of  the  breed  :  too  leggy ; 
pit  game  type  ;  long  body  ;  narrow  back  and  body  ;  narrow 
back  between  hips ;  cushion  in  the  female ;  curved  or 
goose  neck ;  too  open  tail ;  too  high  tail ;  long,  bushy  tail ; 
long,  loose  or  abundant  saddle  feathers;  knock-knees; 
cow  hocks ;  short  thighs ;  too  long  shanks ;  too  light  bone 
of  shank ;  flat  bone  of  shanks ;  stubs ;  red  eye ;  single 
comb ;  too  large  comb ;  tipped  or  lopped  comb ;  large 
wattles ;  white  in  ear  lobe ;  general  looseness,  softness  or 
length  of  feathering;  too  small  size;  lack  of  vigor;  flat- 
sided  body;  narrow,  pinched  head,  and  wide,  full  flow- 
ing cape. 

The  Dark  Cornish 

In  mating  this  variety,  it  is  most  usual  to  employ  a 
single  or  standard  mating.  Select  breeders  of  both  sexes 
which  approach  the  standard  as  nearly  as  possible,  both 
in  color  and  type,  being  sure  that  they  are  birds  of  great 
vigor  and  substance.  Also  select,  if  possible,  a  male  of 
good  color  which  is  out  of  a  well-marked  female.  In 
such  a  mating  the  principal  defects  to  guard  against  are 
white  in  the  under  color  of  both  sexes.  This  is  especially 
likely  to  occur  in  the  hackle,  back  and  saddle  of  males. 
White  in  the  primary  and  secondary  wing  feathers  must 
also  be  avoided.  W^hcre  this  is  present  in  only  one  wing 
it  is  apt  to  be  due  to  injury,  and  is  not  serious,  but  where 
it  is  present  in  both  wings  it  is  apt  to  be  in  the  blood  and 
is  more  serious.  Also  select  a  male  whose  breast  is 
black,  showing  no  lacing  of  red. 

In  the  female  there  is  often  an  uncertain  conception  of 
what  constitutes  proper  color.  Females  are  shown  rang- 
ing in  ground  color  from  a  washed-out  lemon  to  a  dark, 
smutty  walnut.     The  ideal  ground  color  of  the  females 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS 


213 


is  a  clear,  dark  red,  like  old  polished  mahogany,  with  a 
double  penciling  of  lustrous,  greenish  black.  The  first 
penciling  is  in  reality  a  narrow  lacing  running  evenly 


ixir)z:>z,£:-  r 


SS« ''^T;^!"''"^'? ^^    ^^""^  Cornish    feathers.     M    indicates    male   and    F   fe^ 

male.      (Photograph   from  the   Bureau   of   Animal    Industry.   United   States   it 

partment  of  Agriculture.) 


214  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

around  the  feather.  The  second  penciling  is  within  the 
ground  color  of  the  feather,  which  it  divides  into  two 
nearly  equal  parts,  the  central  part  being  slightly  wider 
than  the  outer  part.  This  second  penciling  is  also  narrow 
and  is  crescentic  in  form,  running  practically  parallel  to 
the  outer  penciling  or  lacing.  The  contrast  between  the 
black  penciling  and  the  red  ground  color  should  be  dis- 
tinct, and  heavy  or  wide  penciling,  which  tends  to  cover 
too  much  of  the  ground  color,  is  not  desired.  Heavy 
tips  of  black  at  the  ends  of  the  feathers  are  likewise  un- 
desirable. Sometimes  pullets  occur  in  which  the  black  is 
too  predominating,  but  in  the  second  year,  after  the  molt, 
this  may  be  corrected.  Females  having  only  a  single 
penciling  or  lacing  and  those  which  are  triple  penciled 
occur  and  should  not  be  used  unless  special  matings  are 
made.  Pullets  which  are  very  tight  and  hard  feathered 
sometimes  appear  to  be  single  laced,  but  when  they  are 
handled  and  the  feathers  opened  up  they  are  found  to  be 
really  double  laced  or  penciled.  The  females  should  be 
well  laced  or  penciled  out  into  the  tail,  while  stippling  in 
the  tail  coverts  is  undesirable. 

The  following  matings  are  advised  by  another  breeder : 
The  best  mating  for  standard  color  is  to  select  double 
penciled  females  as  nearly  ideal  in  color,  markings  and 
type  as  possible,  and  mate  to  a  male  as  nearly  standard 
as  possible  out  of  the  same  kind  of  a  hen. 

When  the  mothers  of  the  available  males  of  the  de- 
sired color  are  not  known  and  it  is  feared  that  they  may 
be  irregularly  marked  or  too  dark  females,  which  not  in- 
frequently produce  good  males,  it  is  better  not  to  use 
such  males,  as  the  females  from  him  would  not  be  likely 
to  be  good.  Instead,  choose  one  with  the  shafts  of  each 
feather  in  the  under  color  of  breast,  body,  back  and  wing 
bows,  red  or  black  heavily  striped  with  red.  Such  males 
usually  have  a  well-striped  hackle,  and  the  red  shaft  in 
the  hackle  is  quite  as  important  in  oroducing  good  fe- 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  215 

males  as  good  males.  The  red  shaft  helps  to  ward  off 
triple  penciled  and  too  dark  females,  but  does  not  need 
to  extend  out  into  the  black  surface  color  of  the  breast 
and  body,  thereby  spoiling-  the  exhibition  color  of  the 
bird  by  being  likely  to  show  splashing  in  the  breast. 
Such  a  male  would  be  best  for  a  general  mating  from 
which  both  males  and  females  of  good  color  are  desired. 
If  the  greatest  possible  percentage  of  exhibition  females 
is  desired,  a  male  should  be  used  which  shows  in  ad- 
dition a  little  red  lacing  on  the  surface  of  breast  and 
body.  Owing  to  the  general  tendency  of  the  variety  to 
go  darker,  some  exhibition  males  might  also  be  obtained 
from  such  a  male. 

Owing  to  this  same  tendency  for  birds  of  the  variety 
to  darken  in  successive  generations,  it  is  possible  to  breed 
single  laced  hens  to  quite  dark  males  and  produce  some 
very  fine  double  laced  or  penciled  females. 

A  red  shaft  in  the  under  color  of  the  body  plumage  of 
the  females  the  same  as  for  the  male  is  preferred  by  some 
breeders.  A  little  wider  bay  may  be  allowed  in  the 
hackle  of  the  female  than  in  the  male,  but  in  neither  sex 
should  the  red  be  allowed  to  creep  to  the  tips  or  the  edge 
of  the  feathers.  If  it  does,  it  is  likely  to  prove  to  be  a 
forerunner  of  the  same  trouble  in  certain  parts  or  all  of 
the  body  plumage.  The  black  in  the  top  color  of  the 
male  should  be  a  greenish  black  and  should  be  free  from 
any  purple  cast  or  barring.  Birds  with  a  little  white  in 
under  color  are  more  apt  to  throw  birds  free  from  purple. 
Males  with  this  greenish  black  in  hackle  and  free  from 
purple  will  help  the  lacings  or  pencilings  throughotit  the 
female's  entire  plumage.  Purple  or  purple  barring  is 
hard  to  overcome.  Some  females  retain  their  rich  ground 
color  with  successive  molts,  but  many  do  not,  coming 
lighter,  often  a  faded  or  pale  bay  after  the  molt.  While 
the  females  which  hold  their  color  are  the  most  valuable 
for  breeders,  the  loss  of  color  due  to  age  should  not  l)e 


216  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

allowed  to  count  too  heavily  against  females  which  were 
good  as  pullets.  The  under  color  of  both  sexes  should 
be  dark  slate.  It  may  become  a  little  lighter  with  each 
successive  molt,  especially  in  males,  so  that  a  lighter 
under  color  in  an  old  male,  which  was  good  as  a  cockerel, 
is  not  a  serious  breeding  fault.  The  feathers,  especially 
over  the  back  and  saddle,  should  be  rather  narrow. 
See  Fig.  74. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects  in  ad- 
dition to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  212)  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  white  in  under 
color  of  both  sexes,  but  especially  in  hackle,  back  and 
saddle  of  males;  white  in  wing  primaries  and  secondaries, 
especially  in  males ;  laced  breast  in  males  except  for 
special  matings;  triple  laced  or  penciled  females;  single 
laced  or  penciled  females,  except  for  special  matings ; 
lacing  or  penciling  not  carried  well  out  into  tail  of  fe- 
males; stippling  in  tail  coverts  of  females;  too  light  or 
dark,  smutty  ground  color  in  females;  too  heavy  or  wide, 
black  penciling  in  females ;  heavy  black  tips  to  feathers 
in  females ;  red  in  hackle  of  either  male  or  female  extend- 
ing to  the  tip  or  edge  of  the  feathers;  purple  cast  or 
barring  in  the  black  of  the  male's  top  color ;  any  indication 
of  cushion  in  females  or  long  saddle  feathers  in  males. 

The  White  Cornish 

This  variety  is  identical  with  the  Dark  Cornish,  except 
in  the  matter  of  color.  While  the  standard  weights  for 
the  White  and  the  Dark  Cornish  are  the  same,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  the  White  variety  runs  smaller  than  the  Dark.  A 
single  or  standard  mating  is  universally  used.  Both 
males  and  females  are  selected  which  approach  the 
standard  requirements  as  nearly  as  possible,  both  in  type 
and  color.  They  should  be  as  white  as  possible  and  as 
free  from  any  foreign  color  as  can  be  secured.     Breed 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  217 

for  a  brilliant,  sparkling  live  white,  rather  than  for  a  dull, 
lusterless,  dead  white.  Black  ticking  sometimes  occurs 
and  should  be  selected  against.  Occasionally  a  portion 
of  a  body  feather  or  two  may  be  greenish  black.  This  is 
not  a  sign  of  impurity  of  breeding,  nor  is  it,  if  not  fre- 
quent in  appearance,  a  serious  breeding  defect.  Very 
much  red  or  a  great  deal  of  gray  in  the  plumage  must  be 
carefully  avoided.  Perhaps  one  of  the  most  serious  de- 
fects is  brassiness.  This  shows  most  commonly  in  the 
hackle,  back,  wing  bows  and  saddle  of  males,  and  con- 
sists of  a  yellow  or  brassy  color  on  the  surface  of  the 
white.  It  can  be  bred  out  by  careful  selection,  and  the 
choice  of  breeders  showing  white  quills  and  white  shafts 
to  the  feathers  will  be  of  assistance  in  this  effort.  Brassy 
birds  are  in  general  less  likely  to  show  black  ticking  than 
pure  white  birds.  Creaminess  which  shows  as  a  slight 
yellow  tinge  in  the  under  color  and  quills  is  less  trouble- 
some. It  is  often  due  to  the  sappy  condition  of  the 
feathers  after  the  molt  and  usually  disappears  as  the 
feathers  mature  or  soon  after  the  molt  is  completed. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects  in  addition 
to  those  common  to  the  breed  (see  page  212)  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  black,  black  tick- 
ing, red,  gray  and  brassiness. 

The  White  Laced  Red  Cornish 

This  is  the  most  recent  variety  of  Cornish,  and  in  the 
effort  to  fix  color,  type  has  been  more  or  less  neglected, 
with  the  result  that  this  variety  is  smaller  in  size  and  not 
so  good  in  type  as  the  Dark.  In  mating,  it  is  usual  to 
employ  a  single  or  standard  mating.  Birds  of  both  sexes 
are  selected  which  are  as  well  laced  throughout  as  pos- 
sible, that  is,  the  lacing  narrow,  the  white  free  from  any 
foreign  color,  and  the  red  a  good,  rich  red,  the  contrast 
between  the  white  and  red  being  clear  and  distinct,  with 


218  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

no  sign  of  mossiness.  In  general,  the  birds  vary  in  their 
degree  of  color,  depending  upon  the  width  of  the  white 
lacing.  If  this  is  wide,  the  bird  is  light,  and  if  it  is  narrow 
the  bird  is  dark.  The  lacing  on  the  breasts  and  bodies  of 
the  males  is  likely  to  be  a  little  heavier  or  broader  than  that 
of  the  females.  However,  the  males  are  almost  as  well 
marked  as  the  females.  The  hackle  feathers  in  both  sexes 
should  have  a  broad  stripe  of  dark  red  in  the  center,  leaving 
only  a  narrow,  white  lacing,  but  the  red  should  not  extend 
to  the  edge  or  tip  of  the  feathers.  If  it  does,  the  same 
trouble  may  be  expected  in  the  rest  of  the  plumage.  The 
color  of  the  red  of  the  male  should  be  even  in  hackle, 
back,  wing  bows  and  saddle,  but  not  infrequently  un- 
evenness  occurs.  -Another  defect  in  males  is  white  on 
the  outside  of  the  secondary  wing  feathers.  These 
should  be  red,  except  for  the  white  lacing.  Sometimes, 
also,  lacing  is  absent  on  the  back  and  saddle,  especially 
of  uneven  colored,  dark  red  males. 

In  the  female  good  breast  lacing  is  perhaps  the  hardest 
to  obtain  and  most  often  lacking.  Females  with  lacing 
of  medium  width  as  pullets  are  generally  laced  in  every 
section,  and  will  molt  into  hen  plumage  having  the  pullet 
color  markings.  Females  with  white  hackles  also  occur 
and  on  these  birds  the  breast  lacing  is  often  good.  The 
under  color  of  both  sexes  should  be  white  and  a  blue  cast 
to  the  under  color  of  females  must  be  guarded  against. 

\\'hile  line-bred  specimens  of  both  sexes  as  near 
standard  as  possible  will  produce  good  birds  of  both 
sexes,  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  color  to  be  lost  to  some 
extent  after  a  time.  This  makes  it  desirable  to  use  what 
may  be  called  a  necessity  mating  to  keep  up  color.  Such 
a  mating  consists  of  mating  light  colored  or  wide-laced 
females  with  a  standard  male  of  very  red  color  and  very 
narrow  lacing.  This  mating  will  produce  both  standard 
males  and  females,  but  not  in  as  great  a  proportion  as 
the  straight  standard  mating.     One  of  these  standard  ofif- 


THE  ENGLISH   CLASS 


219 


spring,  usually  a  male,  is  then  bred  into  the  old  line  to 
strengthen  color.  The  reverse  of  this  mating,  or  light 
males  with  standard  females,  can  also  be  used  for  the 
same  purpose. 


Tig.    75— Well-marked    White   Laced   Red   Cornish    feathers.     M   indicates   male 

and    F    femelf-.      ( Photonrraph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal     mdustry,    United 

Rtatrs   Department  of  Agriculture.^ 


220  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

As  chicks,  the  White  Laced  Red  Cornish  come  almost 
white,  and  the  first  feathers  will  be  white  until  they  are 
six  weeks  old.  Pullets  have  been  known  to  remain  white 
until  three  or  four  months  old  before  a  red  feather 
showed.  It  is  well,  therefore,  to  carry  chicks  at  least 
four  months  before  culling,  to  see  how  they  are  going 
to  molt  in. 

Males  never  change  in  the  adult  plumage,  but  females 
of  the  well-laced  neck  and  back  often  become  somewhat 
mottled  in  appearance  and  remain  so  until  early  spring, 
when  they  again  show  the  lacing  of  the  pullet.  The  fe- 
males of  the  w^hite-necked  type  will  come  into  hen 
plumage  just  as  they  were  as  pullets. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects  in  ad- 
dition to  those  common  to  the  breed  (see  page  212)  must 
be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  too  small  or 
too  leggy  birds;  too  wnde  lacing;  lack  of  distinct  con- 
trast between  the  red  and  white  or  mossiness ;  red  run- 
ning out  to  the  edge  or  tip  of  feathers,  especially  in  hackle 
of  both  sexes ;  unevenness  in  red  color  in  hackle,  back, 
wing  bows  and  saddle  of  males ;  white  on  outside  of  sec- 
ondary wing  feathers  in  male^ ;  absence  of  lacing  on  back 
and  saddle  of  males ;  poor  breast  lacing  in  females ;  w^hite 
hackles  in  females,  and  a  blue  cast  to  the  undercolor  of 
females 

The  Sussex 

While  the  Sussex  is  a  large  breed,  having  a  weight 
equal  to  that  of  the  Dorking,  it  does  not  give  quite  the 
same  appearance  of  massiveness.  This  is  probably  due 
to  the  fact  that  it  is  a  little  shorter  in  body  and  is  a  little 
higher  set  on  legs.  It  is  much  on  the  Dorking  type, 
however,  having  a  general  rectangular  shape,  as  viewed 
from  the  side.  It  is  deep  bodied  and  carries  a  good  deal 
of  flesh.  The  back  should  be  fairly  long,  although  not 
so  long  as  the  Dorking  back.     There  is  somewhat  of  a 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  221 

tendency  for  the  back  to  be  too  short,  thereby  approach- 
ing the  Orpington  type,  especially  in  the  Speckled  va- 
riety, and  this  must  be  guarded  against.  The  back  is 
flat  and  wide  across  the  shoulders,  but  tapers  down  some- 
what toward  the  tail.  The  slope  of  the  back  is  down- 
ward from  the  shoulders  to  the  tail. 

The  breast  should  be  very  prominent  and  well  de- 
veloped, being  carried  well  forward.  It  should  also  be 
well  rounded,  and  a  flat  breast  should  be  selected  against. 

The  tail  is  well  spread  and  is  carried  fairly  low,  about 
the  same  as  that  of  the  Dorking  in  the  female,  but  a 
trifle  higher  in  the  male.  A  high  tail  is  not  uncommon  and 
must  be  selected  against.  The  tail  is  well  spread,  more 
so  than  the  Dorking,  but  is  not  so  long.  This  difference 
in  length  is  especially  marked  in  the  female.  The  Sussex 
tail  is  not  furnished  with  either  sickles  or  saddle  feathers 
which  are  as  long  as  those  of  the  Dorking.  The  neck 
should  be  medium  in  length  in  both  sexes,  being  a  little 
longer  than  the  Dorking,  while  the  hackle  should  be 
fairly  full,  but  not  so  full  as  in  the  Dorking. 

The  legs  are  comparatively  short  and  stout  and  are  set 
wide  apart.  They  are  longer  both  in  thigh  and  shank 
than  the  Dorking,  however,  and  it  is  for  this  reason  that 
this  breed  is  not  so  low  set.  The  shanks  should  be  white 
in  color  and  the  toes  four  in  number.  Black  spots  on  the 
shanks  must  be  avoided  in  breeders,  as  must  also  the 
fifth  toe,  which  occasionally  appears  in  the  Light  variety. 
The  shanks  should  also  be  free  from  stubs.  The  ear  lobe 
should  be  red  in  all  varieties.  \\'hite  sometimes  occurs 
and  should  be  selected  against  in  the  breeders.  As  in 
other  red  ear  lobed  varieties,  paleness  or  the  white  which 
develops  with  age  is  not  so  severe  a  breeding  defect  as 
the  white  which  occurs  in  young  stock.     (See  page  71.) 

There  is  a  tendency  for  the  eyes  to  come  too  light  in 
color  and  this  must  be  looked  out  for.  A  red  or  reddish 
bay  eye  is  desired. 


222  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

The  character  of  feathering  in  this  breed  is  a  little 
closer,  that  is,  not  so  heavy,  as  in  the  Dorking. 

In  breeding  the  Sussex,  the  following  defects  more  or 
less  common  to  the  breed  must  be  guarded  against  in  so 
far  as  possible:  too  short  back;  flat  breast;  too  high 
tail ;  too  large  comb  ;  too  small  comb  ;  too  many  points  to 
comb;  lopped  or  badly  twisted  combs  in  females;  side 
sprigs;  black  spots  on  shanks;  stubs;  fifth  toe,  especially 
in  the  Light  Sussex;  white  in  ear  lobe;  eyes  too  light 
in  color. 

The  Speckled  Sussex 

This  variety  as  bred  by  the  foremost  breeders  and  as 
winning  under  the  judges  in  the  shows,  is  slightly  dif- 
ferent from  what  the  standard  calls  for.  The  standard 
calls  for  slate  under  color,  shading  into  white  at  the  skin, 
while  breeders  are  working  for  a  slate  under  color,  shad- 
ing into  pink  or  salmon.  In  reality,  the  Speckled  Sussex 
is  a  Red  Sussex  in  which  the  feathers  end  in  a  black  bar 
with  a  white  tip,  and  in  the  male  with  a  black  stripe  in 
the  lower  end  of  hackle  and  saddle  feathers. 

In  mating,  both  the  single  or  standard  and  the  double 
matings  are  used.  In  the  single  mating,  birds  of  both 
sexes  are  chosen  which  most  nearly  approach  the 
standard,  both  in  color  and  type.  The  under  color  should 
be  slate,  shading  into  pink  or  salmon.  If  there  is  too 
much  dark  in  under  color,  this  tends  to  produce  a  heavy, 
black  bar  in  the  breast  of  males,  which  will  cause  the 
breast  to  appear  too  black.  White  not  infrequently 
occurs  at  the  base  of  hackle  and  saddle  of  males,  and  is 
not  desirable.  Males  are  preferred  as  breeders  which 
have  black  and  white  main  tail  feathers.  There  is  a  tend- 
ency and  a  desire  to  do  away  gradually  with  the  white 
main  tail  feathers.  However,  if  the  main  tail  feathers 
are  solid  black,  except  for  the  white  tip,  they  are  apt  to 
cause  too  dark  breast  in  males  and  too  much  black  in  the 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS 


^23 


back  of  females.  On  the  other  hand,  too  much  white  in 
main  tail  feathers  is  likely  to  cause  the  plumage  to  run 
too  light  in  the  ofifspring.     White  flights   in   males  are 


/^ly/y^  -jn^y-MA^- 


Fip.    76 — Well-marked    Speckled    Sussex    feathers.     M    indicates   male   and    P 

female.      (Photograph    from   the    Bureau   of  Animal   Industry,    United    States 

Department  of  Agriculture.) 


224  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

undesirable  as  well  as  solid  white  feathers  in  any  part  of 
the  plumage  or  solid  black  feathers  in  hackle  or  saddle. 
In  the  male  there  may  be  too  large  or  too  small  a  white 
speckling  in  the  breast  or  too  large  or  too  small  a  black 
bar  in  the  same  section.  Too  large  white  tips  will  cause 
the  breast  to  be  too  white,  and  too  large  black  bars  will 
make  it  too  dark  in  appearance.  The  black  bar  which 
separates  the  white  tip  from  the  ground  color  of  the 
feather  should  be  very  clearly  defined,  with  no  tendency 
for  the  black  and  white  or  the  black  and  red  to  mix.  The 
breast  should  not  appear  wholly  black  and  white,  as  some 
of  the  red  ground  color  of  the  feathers  should  also  show. 
The  tail  coverts  also  have  a  tendency  to  carry  too  much 
white,  but  white  tips  are  desirable.  Feathers  lacking 
the  white  tip  in  hackle  and  saddle  of  males  must  be 
guarded  against,  as  this  will  result  in  the  feathers  being 
black  tipped.  Purple  barring  in  the  black  of  the  tail 
must  also  be  avoided.  The  striping  in  hackle  and  saddle 
of  a  standard  colored  male  should  be  definite  and  distinct, 
but  the  tip  of  the  feathers  should  be  white.  There  should 
be  a  sharp  contrast  between  the  black  bar  and  the  white 
tip,  and  between  the  ground  color  and  the  black  bar,  and 
none  of  these  colors  should  run  into  another.  Sometimes 
weakness  in  color  in  females  is  shown  by  the  black  bar 
being  absent  so  that  the  red  runs  up  to  the  white  tip. 
The  female  may  also  have  defects  in  the  way  of  white 
main  tail  feathers,  black  hackle,  solid  white  feathers  in 
wings  and  a  mossiness  or  stippling  of  black  in  the  red 
ground  color. 

In  the  female,  there  is  also  a  tendency  for  the  hackle  to 
grow  lighter  with  age,  and  this  must  be  considered  in 
breeding.  A  hen  that  holds  a  pullet  colored  hackle  is 
considered  extra  good  in  that  section,  and  especially  val- 
uable as  a  breeder.  Shafting  must  also  be  avoided  in 
the  females. 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  225 

Where  the  double  mating  is  employed,  one  breeder 
describes  the  matings  as  follows : 

Cockerel  mating. — Select  a  standard  male  of  brilliant 
color  and  with  definite  striping  and  speckling  in  hackle 
and  saddle.  The  male  should  not  be  extremely  heavily 
striped,  but  rather  a  medium  striped  bird.  Do  not  use  a 
male  with  a  lemon  colored  back.  The  tail  covert  tips  of 
this  male  must  be  white.  With  this  male  use  females  of 
standard  type,  which  may  be  coarser  marked  than  the 
standard  colored  females,  that  is,  well  but  not  too  heavily 
speckled,  and  the  speckles  should  be  pure  white.  They 
should  have  a  definite,  clear  striping  in  hackle.  The 
wings  and  tail  should  be  dark,  that  is,  should  have  but 
little  white.  In  geneial,  the  females  used  in  this  mating 
are  rather  dark  in  color. 

Pullet  mating. — Winning  males  of  this  variety  have  too 
long  and  heavy  a  black  stripe  in  saddle  to  get  good  fe- 
males, as  such  males  produce  females  wdiose  ground  color 
is  stippled  with  black.  The  male  used  should,  therefore, 
have  a  definite  hackle  striping  which  follows  the  outline 
of  the  feathers,  but  is  not  too  heavy,  and  the  tips  of  these 
feathers  must  be  white.  The  saddle  should  have  only  a 
small,  black  stripe,  which  should  break,  that  is,  not  run 
down  into  the  under  color.  In  general,  this  male  should 
be  richer,  that  is,  slightly  darker  in  ground  color  than  the 
standard  colored  male.  It  is  important  that  the  ground 
color  of  the  male  should  be  very  prominent  and  striking. 
The  breast  should  be  clear  and  distinctly  marked,  while 
the  speckling  in  the  saddle  and  neck  should  be  rather 
fine.  The  females  to  use  should  be  the  best  exhibition 
females  available.  They  should  have  clear  ground  color, 
especially  in  back,  and  wings  and  breast  free  from  mossi- 
ness. The  speckling  should  be  clear  white,  and  the  main 
tail  feathers  black  ending  in  white  tips. 

Another  breeder  briefiy  describes  his  method  of  double 
mating  as  follows : 


226  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

Cockerel  mating. — Use  standard  colored  birds  of  both 
sexes,  bearing  in  mind  that  breeders  desire  in  exhibition 
males  a  lustrous,  deep  mahogany  red. 

Pullet  mating. — Use  the  deepest  red  male  which  can 
be  obtained  and  mate  with  standard  colored  females.  In 
any  mating,  keep  away  from  any  stippling  in  females  and 
from  a  light,  cherry  red  or  lemon  color  in  males. 

To  summarize  briefly,  the  following  defects  in  addition 
to  those  common  to  the  breed  (see  page  222)  must  be 
guarded  against  in  mating  this  variety  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible: .wholly  white  main  tail  feathers  in  both  sexes; 
white. at  base  of  hackle  and  saddle  of  males;  lemon  col- 
ored, or  too  light  back  in  males ;  striping  not  definite  in 
hackle  and  saddle  of  males ;  tail  coverts  lacking  white 
tips  in  males ;  too  large  white  speckling  causing  too  white 
an  appearance  to  breast  of  males ;  too  large  black  bar 
causing  too  dark  an  appearance  to  breast  of  males ;  no 
red  ground  color  showing  in  breast  of  males ;  black  tips 
to  hackle  and  saddle  feathers  of  males ;  tail  coverts  show- 
ing too  much  white  in  males;  black  hackle  in  females; 
solid. white  feathers  in  wings;  mossiness;  stippling  or 
peppering  of  black  in  the  ground  color  of  females ;  black 
bar  absent  in  females ;  black  mixing  with  white  in  the  tip 
in  females ;  purple  barring  in  the  black  of  males'  tails ; 
female  hackle  which  gets  too  light  with  age ;  shafting  in 
fem.ales ;  solid  black  or  white  feathers  in  plumage  of 
both  sexes. 

The  Red  Sussex 

The  single  or  standard  mating  is  most  commonly  used 
in  breeding  this  variety,  as  high  class  exhibition  speci- 
mens pf  both  sexes  can  be  produced  from  such  a  mating. 
Some  breeders,  however,  employ  a  double  mating  in 
order  to  produce  especially  fine  specimens.  In  the  Red 
Sll^s;^:^f  Jhere  is  a  natural  tendency  for  the  males  to  come 
darker  than  the  females.     There  is  also  a  decided  tend- 


THE    ENGLISH    CLASS  _  227 

ency  for  the  ground  color  of  the  female,  especially  in 
back  and  breast,  to  be  ticked,  peppered  or  penciled  with 
black.  This  is  very  undesirable  and  must  be  guarded 
against. 

The  single  mating  consists  of  a  male  which  should  be 
standard  in  color,  having  the  dark  mahogany  red  in  all 
sections,  as  called  for  by  the  Standard,  and  with  slate 
under  color,  shading  into  red  at  the  base  of  the  feathers. 
Light  colored  hackles  are- a  -common  defect  and  should 
be  avoided,  an  even  shade  of  top  color  in  hackle,  back 
and  saddle  being  desired.  The  females  should  also  be 
standard  in  color  and  if  the  ground  color  of  the  females 
is  selected  to  match  that  of  the  male's  breast,  it  will  be 
found  to  be  a  good  guide.  The  females  should  also  have 
a  clear  ground  color,  free  from  ticking,  peppering  or 
penciling  of  black,  especially  in  back  and  breast.  Be 
careful,  also,  if  the  breast  is  clear  that  it  is  not  too  light 
red  in  color,  an  even  shade  of  surface  or  top  color  being 
desired,  as  in  the  male.  The  female  should  also  be  darker 
in  under  color  than  the  male  in  order  to  produce  the  rich, 
dark  surface  color  in  the  males.  Be  careful,  also,  that  the 
male  in  this  mating  shows  no  white  at  the  base  of  hackle 
or  saddle,  which  is  more  troublesome  and  frequent  at  the 
base  of  the  hackle.  Black  splashes  on  the  male's  breast 
and  black  in  the  wing  bar  of  the  male  are  likewise  de- 
fects which  should  not  be  used  in  a  standard  mating  as 
above  described.  The  wing  flights  and  secondaries  of 
both  sexes  should  be  free  from  peppering. 

Where  the  double  mating  is  used,  the  following  mat- 
ings  are  made : 

Cockerel  mating. — Select  a  male  of  standard  color,  ex- 
cept for  the  under  color,  which  preferably  should  be  red. 
The  use  of  a  male  with  slate  under  color  will  result  in  a 
large  number  of  cockerels  showing  black  in  breast  and 
wing  bar.  Use  females  which  are  strong  in  color,  being 
mahogany  in  hackle  and  free  from  any  orange  tinge.     If 


228  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

the  females  show  ticking  in  the  back,  this  need  give  no 
concern.     The  under  color  of  the  females  should  be  slate. 

Pullet  mating. — Use  a  male  with  an  excess  of  color, 
showing  strong  under  color,  the  slate  running  to  the 
skin  and  the  only  red  in  under  color  being  in  the  quill. 
This  male  should  also  show  good  black  points,  the  wing 
showing  black  markings  like  that  of  the  standard  Light 
Brahma.  The  hackle  should  be  practically  free  from 
ticking.  AA'ith  this  male,  mate  good,  standard  colored 
females  which  have  clean,  red  backs  and  wing  bows  free 
from  ticking  or  penciling.  The  under  color  of  the  fe- 
males should  be  red,  free  from  slate,  but  birds  showing  a 
slight  bar  of  slate  may  be  used.  From  this  mating  should 
come  good  females,  with  clear  backs,  but  some  of  the 
males  will  have  black  breasts. 

In  mating  Red  Sussex,  the  following  defects  in  addi- 
tion to  those  common  to  the  breed  (see  page  222)  must 
be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  black  ticking ; 
peppering  or  penciling  on  ground  color  of  females,  espe- 
cially on  back  and  breast;  too  light  red  breast  in  females; 
white  at  base  of  hackle  in  males ;  black  splashes  on  breast 
of  males ;  black  in  wing  bar  of  males ;  white  in  under 
color  in  both  sexes;  peppering  of  black  in  wing  flights 
and  secondaries  :  light  or  orange  hackle ;  white  on  wings ; 
white  on  tips  of  feathers. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  POLISH  CLASS 

The  Polish 

The  PoHsh  is  a  breed  which  in  type  and  size  is  much  Hke 
the  Leghorn.  The  size  is,  however,  rather  variable,  but  the 
birds  should  be  at  least  as  large  as  Leghorns,  and  some  speci- 
mens are  produced  which  are  considerably  larger.  The 
Pohsh  is  a  neat,  trim-bodied  bird  and  should  be  set  fairly 
well  up  on  legs,  but  there  is  some  tendency  to  be  too  low  set. 
The  body  is  long,  the  breast  fairly  prominent  and  well 
rounded.  The  body  has  a  distinct  slant  downward  from 
front  to  back,  and  the  back  line  shows  this  also.  The  tail, 
which  is  long  and  well  spread,  and  in  the  male  profusely 
furnished,  is  carried  low,  somewhat  more  so  than  the 
Leghorn. 

The  legs  and  toes  should  be  blue  or  a  slaty  or  leaden  blue 
in  all  Polish,  and  white  legs  must  be  avoided.  There  is  a 
tendency  for  the  legs  to  fade  with  age  toward  white.  The 
shanks  and  toes  should  be  clean,  but  stubs  and  down  some- 
times occur,  and  birds  showing  stubs  should  be  discarded 
for  breeding.  The  larger  the  crest  and  the  older  the  birds, 
the  greater  is  the  tendency  for  down  between  the  toes. 

The  comb  is  V-shaped  and  should  be  small,  as  the  smaller 
the  comb  the  better  it  is  liked.  It  is,  however,  apt  to  come 
too  coarse,  especially  in  the  males,  and  sometimes  approaches 
the  leaf  type  of  comb.  A  natural  absence  of  comb  is  very 
desirable.  It  is  important  not  to  breed  from  birds  which 
have  closed  nostrils,  that  is,  the  low,  slit-like  nostrils  occur- 
ring in  most  breeds,  as  such  birds  are  apt  to  throw  single 
combs,  which  would  disqualify  the  specimen.  The  breeders 
should   show  open  or  raised  nostrils.     By  open  nostril  is 

229 


230 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


meant  a  raised  nostril,  the  opening  of  which  is  more  circular 
in  outline  than  the  low  or  so-called  closed  nostril,  and  which 
causes  that  portion  of  the  upper  bill  above  it  to  be  raised  or 
arched.     See  Fig.  88. 

The  crest  is  undoubtedly  the  most  characteristic  feature 
of  the  Polish.     It  should  be  large  and  full,  and  in  mature 


Fig.   77 — Bearded   Golden    Polish   male   showinpr   l^'srhtly   feathered   or 
whisk  broom-like    crest,    which    is    undesirable.      (Photograph    from   the 
Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


males  the  crest  feathers  are  long  and  should  follow  the  neck 
and  fall  down  well  over  the  sides  of  the  head.  Avoid  any 
tendency  for  the  feathers  in  front  to  twist  and  fall  forward 
over  the  bill.  A  breeder  should  not  be  used  whose  crest 
splits  or  parts  in  the  center.  Both  males  and  females  some- 
times show  a  lightly  feathered,  whiskbroom-like  crest,  which 
is  undesirable.  See  Fig.  77.  The  crest  should  be  straight 
on  the  head,  not  crooked  or  leaning  to  one  side.  Never 
breed  from  a  bird  which  shows  a  crooked  crest,  as  this  is 
very  apt  to  be  reproduced  and  is  difficult  to  get  rid  of.    In 


THE    POLISH    CLASS  231- 

examining  the  crest  to  see  whether  it  is  good,  feel  of  it 
to  see  that  it  sets  solidly  on  the  head  and  cannot  f?H  to 
one  side.  Many  breeders  feel  that  it  is  fairly  easy  to  pick 
out  the  birds  which  will  have  the  best  crests  when  they  are 
first  hatched.  Such  chicks  will  show  larger,  fuller  "crowns 
and  the  best  crests  will  be  round  and  flat  on  the  chicks,  while 
the  poorer,  lighter-feathered  crests  will  show  as  small  and 
peaked. 

In  mature  birds,  the  crest  is  sometimes  so  large  that  it 
falls  down  over  the  eyes,  obstructing  the  sight,  in  some 
cases  eventually  causing  the  bird  to  go  blind.  Such  a  crest, 
which  interferes  with  the  bird's  sight,  prevents  them  from 
eating  freely  or  breeding  well.  It  is  therefore  frequently 
necessary  to  clip  or  trim  the  crest  fairly  closely  in  prepara- 
tion for  the  breeding  season,  instead  of  clipping,  a  rubber 
band  can  be  placed  around  the  crest  'to  hold  the  feathers  up 
out  of  the  eyes,  but  this  is  not  as  good  practice,  because  the 
crest  feathers  will  hold  the  water  if  they  get  wet,  and  this 
may  lead  to  colds  and  roup.  It  is  also  quite  common  prac- 
tice to  pluck  or  pull  the  crest  to  increase  its  size.  This  is 
done  gradually,  being  sure  that  the  feathers  are  dead  before 
they  are  pulled.  If  they  are  not  dead,  injury  is  likely  to  be 
caused  to  the  feather  follicles  and  the  new  feathers  are  apt 
to  come  in  white,  which  would,  of  course,  be  very  undesir- 
able in  those  varieties  having  a  colored  crest.  When  the 
crest  is  plucked,  the  full  strength  of  the  bird  will  go  into 
the  growth  of  the  new  crest  feathers,  making  them  longer 
than  they  would  be  if  grown  along  with  the  rest  of  the 
plumage. 

Injury  to  the  crest  is  apt  to  be  caused  by  the  females 
picking  the  crest  feathers  of  the  male,  or  of  one  another. 
They  are  most  apt  to  pick  the  crest  when  it  is  wet  or  when 
the  feathers  are  in  the  pin  feather  stage.  The  injury  re- 
sulting, if  only  slight,  will  cause  the  feathers  to  come  in 
white.  It  is  best  to  keep  the  males  each  by  himself  except 
during  the  breeding  season,  for  their  crests  can  be  com- 


232  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

pletely  spoiled  in  a  very  short  time.  With  age,  or  in  other 
words,  with  each  successive  molt,  there  is  a  tendency  for  the 
crests  to  come  lighter,  that  is,  to  show  more  white. 

The  bearded  varieties  of  Polish  are  just  the  same  in  every 
respect  as  the  corresponding  varieties  of  the  non-bearded. 
except  in  the  presence  of  the  beard  or  muff.  The  beard 
should  be  full,  covering  the  face  and  wattles  almost  com- 
pletely in  both  sexes.  The  plain  or  non-bearded  varieties 
never  show  any  tendency  to  come  bearded,  but  the  bearded 
varieties  show  more  or  less  tendency  to  come  with  a  scanty 
beard  or  plain. 

In  feathering,  the  Polish  is  somewhat  looser  and  more 
profusely  feathered  than  the  Leghorn. 

In  mating  this  breed,  the  following  defects  should  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible:  too  small  size;  de- 
formed or  roach  back ;  white  legs ;  stubs  and  down ;  too 
large  and  coarse  comb ;  single  comb  or  leaf  comb ;  closed 
nostrils ;  lightly  feathered  or  whiskbroom-like  crest ;  split 
or  parted  crest ;  twisted  feathers  in  front  of  crest  falling 
forward  over  the  bill ;  crest  set  crookedly  on  the  head  ;  and 
scanty  beard  or  absence  of  beard  in  the  bearded  varieties. 

The  White-Crested  Black  Polish 

This  variety,  which  is  non-bearded,  is  one  of  the  best  in 
type  and  general  excellence.  In  mating,  the  single  or 
standard  mating  only  is  employed.  Birds  are  selected  as 
breeders  which  approach  as  nearly  as  possible  the  standard 
requirements,  both  in  type  and  color.  The  black  body  color 
of  both  sexes  should  be  black  with  a  green  sheen,  and  should 
be  free  from  purple  barring.  Purple  barring  may  occur  in 
birds  as  the  result  of  breeding,  or  may  be  due  to  the  poor 
condition  of  the  birds  when  the  feathers  were  developing, 
or  may  be  due  to  exposure  to  the  rain  and  to  the  sun.  When 
due  to  some  other  cause  than  the  breeding  of  the  birds,  it  is 
not  nearly  so  serious  a  defect.  Birds  showing  purple  bar- 
ring due  to  poor  condition  or  exposure  may  often  molt  in 


THE    POLISH    CLASS  233 

without  showing  purple  barring  by  keeping  them  out  of  the 
weather. 

White  may  occur  in  under  color  of  hackle  of  males  and 
must  be  guarded  against.  Another  common  defect  is  white 
in  the  wings,  which  may  be  so  bad  as  to  show  entire  white 
wing  feathers  in  either  sex.  The  wings  and  tail  of  females 
sometimes  show  a  little  gray.  If  this  is  due  to  injury,  as 
som^etimes  happens,  it  is  not  a  breeding  fault,  but  if  not  due 
to  injury,  it  must  be  looked  out  for.  The  feathers  of  the 
female  around  the  vent  are  sometimes  tipped  with  pale  gray, 
which  is,  of  course,  undesirable.  It  is  necessary  to  guard 
against  too  many  black  feathers  in  the  front  of  the  crest,  and 
breeders  should  be  selected  which  are  free  from  them,  or 
which  have  the  smallest  possible  number. 

Sometimes  males  are  obtained  which  show  a  little  brass  or 
straw  color  in  hackle  or  back.  Such  males  should  not  be 
used  for  breeding  unless  it  becomes  necessary  to  make  a 
mating  for  the  purpose  of  improving  the  green  sheen  of  the 
females.  In  such  a  case  the  males  showing  a  little  brass  or 
straw  color  should  be  mated  to  females  with  as  good  a  sheen 
as  possible,  as  this  will  result  in  an  improvement  in  the 
females  in  that  particular. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects,  in  addition 
to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  232),  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible  :  purple  barring;  white  in  under 
color  of  hackle  of  males;  white  in  wings  or  entire  white 
wing  feathers  in  both  sexes;  gray  in  wings  and  tails  of 
females;  feathers  about  the  vent  of  females  tipped  with 
gray;  too  many  black  feathers  in  the  front  of  the  crest; 
brass  or  straw  color  in  hackle  or  back  of  males,  except  for 
special  matings. 

The  Bearded  Golden  Polish 

In  mating  this  variety  it  is  usual  to  employ  the  single  or 
standard  mating.  Rirds  of  both  sexes  are  selected  as 
breeders    which    approach    as    nearly    as    possible    to    the 


234  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDIN'G    OF    POULTRY 

Standard.  The  lacing  should  be  a  narrow,  lustrous  black, 
which  extends  clear  around  the  outside  edge  of  the  feath- 
ers, leaving  a  large,  clear,  open  center  of  rich,  red  bay  color. 
There  should  be  no  edging  of  golden  on  the  outside  of  the 
black  lacing,  as  sometimes  occurs,  which  is  often  referred  to 
as  frosting.  The  lacing  should  approach  as  nearly  as  possible 
to  the  character  of  the  vSebright  lacing,  but  is  not  quite  as 
narrow.  It  is  necessary  to  look  out  for  spangling  of  the 
feathers  instead  of  lacing.  It  is  better  to  have  the  feathers 
show  moon-shaped  marks  rather  than  spangles,  although  the 
former  marking  is  not  desired.  A  peppering  of  black  in  the 
golden  color  of  the  feathers,  which  is  often  called  mossiness, 
frequently  occurs,  especially  in  females,  and  is  undesirable. 
Black  peppering  in  wings  and  tail  of  both  sexes  must  also  be 
guarded  against,  as  must  white  in  the  flight  and  main  tail 
feathers. 

In  pullets  of  both  the  Golden  and  Silver  Polish,  the  color 
pattern  of  the  crest  feathers  is  just  the  opposite  of  that  of 
the  body  feathers.  Instead  of  the  golden  or  white  centers 
and  black  lacing  of  the  body,  the  crest  feathers  are  black 
with  a  golden  or  white  lacing,  according  to  the  variety.  As 
the  pullets  molt  in  as  hens,  the  color  pattern  of  the  crest 
feathers  should  reverse  so  that  it  corresponds  to  that  of  the 
body  feathers.  This  reversal  does  not  always  occur,  how- 
ever, only  females  of  the  right  blood  lines  showing  the 
change.    See  Fig.  79. 

In  making  the  mating  it  is  especially  important  that  the 
male  should  be  a  good  rich  red  bay  in  color,  free  from  frost- 
ing, in  order  to  keep  up  the  color  of  the  females.  The 
female  should  be  as  near  the  male  in  color  as  possible.  A 
good  guide  for  color  is  to  have  the  breast  of  the  male  har- 
monize with  or  match  the  ground  color  of  the  female.  If 
lighter  birds  are  bred,  they  are  apt  to  throw  white  flight 
feathers. 

It  is  necessary  to  avoid  black  ends  to  the  lower  back 
feathers  and  tail  coverts.     Some  females  come  too  dark  for 


THE    POLISH    CLASS  235 

exhibition  as  pullets.  However,  there  is  a  tendency  for 
them  to  lighten  with  age,  and  they  often  make  the  best  hens. 
White  in  crest  must  also  be  avoided.  This  is  apt  to  increase 
with  age  and  is  in  consequence  not  as  bad  a  breeding  fault 
in  old  males  as  in  cockerels.  \Miere  the  white  is  due  to 
injury  it  need  not  be  considered  from  a  breeding  standpoint. 
In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects,  in  addition  to 
those  common  to  the  breed  (page  232),  must  be  avoided  in 
so  far  as  possible  :  too  heavy  lacing;  frosting;  spangling  or 
moon  marks  instead  of  lacing ;  black  peppering  or  mossiness 
in  the  ground  color ;  black  peppering  in  wings  and  tail ; 
white  in  flight  and  main  tail  feathers ;  general  color  of 
plumage  too  light ;  black  ends  to  lower  back  feathers  and 
tail  coverts ;  and  white  in  crest. 

The  Bearded  Silver  Polish 

In  mating  this  variety,  only  the  standard  or  single  mating 
is  used.  The  general  considerations  of  the  color  mating  are 
exactly  the  same  as  in  the  Bearded  Golden  Variety,  except 
that  the  golden  ground  color  is  replaced  by  white.  It  is 
important  not  to  breed  males  with  bronze  or  rusty  hackle, 
back,  wing  bows  or  saddle,  as  they  will  be  apt  to  get  females 
with  peppering  in  the  tail  and  with  feathers  lacking  a  good 
white  center  and  having  a  frosty  edging. 

A  mating  is  sometimes  made  of  a  Silver  Polish  cock  and 
a  \\niite  Polish  hen  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  laced 
feathers  with  pure  white  centers.  Use  a  male  from  this 
mating  free  from  rustiness  to  breed  back  to  the  Silver 
females.     This  is  done  to  get  rid  of  the  smutty  center. 

For  defects  which  must  be  guarded  against,  see  the 
defects  common  to  the  breed  (page  232),  and  the  defects 
for  the  Bearded  Golden  Polish  (page  235). 

The  Bearded  White  Polish 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  single  or  standard  mating  is 
used,  that  is,  a  matinj^  in  which  the  breeders  of  both  sexes 


236 


THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


are  as  near  standard  as  possible.     As  in  many  other  white 
varieties,  there  is  likely  to  be  some  trouble  with  brassiness 


Fig  78-Well-Tnarked  Silver  Polish  feathers.  .  ^  indicates  male  and  F  fe- 
male. (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry.  United  States 
°  ^  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE    POLISH    CLASS 


237 


in  males,  and  creaminess  in  females.  Avoid  breeding  from 
males  which  show  brassiness.  Another  defect  which  some- 
times occurs,  which  is  not  as  troublesome  in  Wliite  Polish 
as  in  some  other  white  varieties  is  black  ticking.    However, 


Tig.  79 — Silver  Polish  pullet.  Notice  that  the  markings  of  the 
crest  feathers  are  the  reverse  of  the  body  feathers.  As  the  pul- 
let molts  in  as  a  hen,  the  markings  of  the  crest  feathers  will 
change  if  the  breeding  is  right  so  as  to  correspond  with  that  of 
the  body  plumage.  (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,    United    States   Department  of   Agriculture.) 


this  should  be  selected  against  in  picking  out  the  breeders. 
Red  feathers  occasionally  occur  in  the  shoulders  and  backs 
of  males,  and  this  must,  of  course,  be  avoided.  There  is 
some  tendency  toward  white  legs,  and  to  offset  this,  use 
breeders  which  have  strong  blue  legs. 

For  defects  common  to  the  breed,  which  must  be  guarded 
against,  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  232. 

The  Buff  Laced  Polish 

This  is  a  bearded  variety.     There  is  also  a  plain  or  non- 
bearded  Buff  Laced  Polish  which  is  not  as  yet  a  standard 


238  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

variety.  In  breeding,  a  single  or  standard  mating  is 
employed.  The  general  color  scheme  is  the  same  as  the 
Silver  or  Golden  varieties,  except  that  the  ground  color  is 
buff  and  the  lacing  is  pale  buff,  shading  into  white.  The 
character  of  the  lacing  should  approach  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible, as  in  the  Golden  and  Silver,  to  the  Sebright  lacing,  but 
is  not  quite  as  narrow.  It  is  desired  to  get  the  pale  buff 
lacing  as  near  white  as  possible.  It  is  also  desired  to  secure 
fowls  which  are  the  same  shade  throughout,  but  it  is  seldom 
possible  to  get  birds  perfect  in  this  respect.  The  males  tend 
to  run  too  dark  in  buff,  often  showing  red  on  shoulders, 
back  and  wing  bows  and  black  feathers  in  wings.  Such 
males,  when  bred,  are  apt  to  get  females  with  light  hackles 
and  dark  bodies.  A  male  real  light  in  tail  is  apt  to  get  good 
lacing  in  his  daughters.  There  is  also  a  tendency  for  most 
females  to  run  a  trifle  light  in  ground  color.  Black  feathers 
and  black  peppering  in  wings,  tails  and  tail  coverts  must  be 
avoided  in  both  sexes.  This  variety  is  inclined  to  run  too 
small  in  size  and  to  be  deficient  in  size  and  shape  of  crest. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects,  in  addition 
to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  232),  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible  :  uneven  color ;  red  in  shoulders 
and  backs  of  males ;  black  feathers  in  wings  and  tail ;  fe- 
males a  trifle  too  light  in  color;  black  peppering  in  wings, 
tail  aad  tail  coverts;  too  small  size;  too  small  crest  and 
poorly  shaped  crest. 

The  Non-Bearded  Golden, "Silver  and  White  Polish 

These  non-bearded  varieties  are  identical  in  every  particu- 
lar with  the  corresponding  bearded  varieties,  except  for  the 
absence  of  beard.  Exactly  the  same  principles  hold  in 
making  the  matings,  except  to  use  breeders  which  have  no 
beards. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  HAMBURG  CLASS 

The  Hamburg 

This  is  a  breed  of  rather  small  size,  being,  if  anything, 
slightly  smaller  than  the  Leghorn.  Li  type,  it  resembles 
the  Leghorn,  having  nearly  the  same  shape  of  body,  and 
shows  the  hock  joint  and  a  part  of  the  thigh  distinctly. 
The  birds  are  very  neat,  w^ell  rounded  and  w^ell  finished 
throughout.  The  body  is  carried  nearly  level,  the  back 
line  being  practically  so  in  the  female,  but  with  a  slight 
slope  downward  from  the  shoulders  to  the  tail  in  the 
male.  The  back  should  be  moderate  in  length.  The 
breast  is  prominent  and  well  rounded.  The  tail  is  car- 
ried comparatively  low  and  any  tendency  toward  a  high 
tail  must  be  avoided.  The  tail  feathers  are  long  and  well 
spread,  and  in  the  xnale  very  profusely  furnished  with 
long,  curving  sickles  and  with  profuse  tail  coverts.  Any 
tendency  toward  short  sickles  should  be  guarded  against, 
except  where  hen-feathered  males  are  bred. 

The  shanks  should  be  free  from  any  stubs  or  down. 
Most  of  the  varieties  are  not  much  troubled  in  this  re- 
spect, but  the  Golden  and  Silver  Spangled  show  some 
tendency  toward  stubs.  The  shank  and  toe  color  is  leaden 
blue,  with  black  preferred  in  the  Black  variety.  The 
feathering  of  the  Hamburg  is  medium  close. 

The  Hamburg  comb  is  rose  and  rather  large  for  the 
size  of  the  bird,  but  too  beefy  combs  must  be  avoided. 
The  comb  should  be  a  typical  rose  comb,  square  in  front, 
set  firm  and  even  on  the  head,  and  free  from  hollows 
either  on  top  or  along  the  sides.  The  spike  should  be 
well  developed  and  should  have  a  slight  upward  turn  at 

'^39 


240  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 

the  end,  as  this  is  characteristic  of  the  Hamburg.  Too 
broad  a  comb,  one  which  is  lopped  or  one  which  has  no 
spike  should  be  avoided  in  breeding. 

The  ear  lobe  is  white  and  nearly  round.  It  should  be 
free  from  red,  but,  as  in  the  case  of  other  white  ear  lobes, 
red  may  develop  with  age,  so  that  its  presence  in  the 
lobe  of  a  cock  or  hen  which  was  sound  as  a  cockerel  or 
pullet  is  not  so  serious  a  breeding  fault  as  red,  which  is 
present  in  the  lobe  of  a  cockerel  or  pullet.  The  ear  lobe 
should  be  medium  to  rather  large  in  size,  and  should  be 
flat  and  smooth.  Too  large  an  ear  lobe  is  undesirable, 
as  it  is  apt  to  be  associated  with  white  in  face.  The  face 
should  be  red  and  the  line  between  the  face  and  ear  lobe 
should  be  distinct  and  clean  cut.  White  in  face  is  a 
common  and  serious  defect,  but,  like  red  in  ear  lobe,  may 
develop  with  age,  in  which  case  it  is  not  so  serious  a 
breeding  defect  as  when  present  in  the  young  stock. 

In  Hamburg  chicks  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  feather 
growth  to  outstrip  the  body  growth,  particularly  in  the 
wing  feathers.  It  is,  therefore,  necessary  to  give  them 
stimulating  feed  in  order  to  keep  up  the  body  growth. 
It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  clip  the  wing  feathers  where 
this  occurs. 

In  breeding  Hamburgs,  the  following  defects  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  high  tail ;  tail  not 
well  spread ;  tail  poorly  furnished ;  short  sickles ;  stubs 
and  down ;  shank  and  toe  color  other  than  leaden  blue  or 
black  in  the  Black  variety ;  too  large  and  beefy  comb ; 
hollow  comb ;  spike  not  turning  up  at  the  end ;  lopped 
comb  ;  absence  of  spike  on  comb  ;  too  large  an  ear  lobe ; 
wrinkled  ear  lobe ;  red  in  ear  lobe,  and  white  in  face. 

The  Golden  Spangled  Hamburg 

In  breeding  this  variety,  it  is  most  common  to  use  a 
single  or  standard  mating.  Select  a  male  which  is  a 
trifle  richer  or  darker  in  ground  color  than  the  standard 


THE    HAMBURG    CLASS 


241 


and  mate  him  to  standard  colored  females.  From  such 
a  mating  will  be  obtained  both  males  and  females  of 
good  quality.     The  contrast  between  the  golden  ground 


y^//^/iS  /SOi^y  A?' 


/^^.C//=/=^  /^/Tf'-'^^/r 


/^^Z/^ 


^So  ttr^^";'"^''!'^'^     Go\A^n     Spangled     Hamburg     feathers      M     indicates 

male   and    F   f^"}^!^.      (Photograph    from    the    Burfau    of    Anima     Indi^t^ 

United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.)  »«"^iry. 


242  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

color  and  the  black  of  the  spangles  and  the  hackle  and 
saddle  striping  must  be  distinct  and  the  line  between 
the  two  colors  clean  cut.  The  shape  of  the  spangle  is 
also  important.  It  should  cover  the  end  of  the  feather 
and  run  up  the  feather  to  a  point  at  the  quill,  that  portion 
of  the  spangle  being  V-shaped  with  the  apex  of  the  V 
at  the  quill.  Frequently  the  spangles  may  fail  to  run  to 
a  point  and  may  be  either  crescent  or  moon  shaped,  or  be 
round  or  circular  in  shape.  Such  spangles  are  unde- 
sirable. It  is  more  difficult  to  get  proper  shaped  spangles 
on  the  Golden  Spangled  than  on  the  Silver  Spangled  va- 
riety, especially  in  females.  The  black  spangles  should 
show  a  distinct  green  sheen  or  luster.  The  spangling 
should  be  uniform  all  over  the  body,  bearing  in  mind  the 
difference  in  the  size  of  the  feathers  in  the  different 
sections. 

Patchiness,  that  is,  black  or  dark  patches  in  the 
plumage,  due  to  the  uneven  distribution  or  the  variation 
in  the  size  of  the  black  spangles,  must  be  avoided.  There 
sometimes  occurs  a  frosting  or  edging  of  golden  on  the 
outside  of  the  black  spangle.  This  is  very  undesirable. 
Shafting  may  occur  in  both  sexes  and  should  be  selected 
against.  It  must  be  kept  in  mind  that  the  exhibition 
male  of  this  variety  has  a  solid  black  tail,  instead  of  a 
golden  tail  spangled  with  black,  as  might  be  expected. 
In  this  respect  it  is  dift'erent  from  the  Silver  Spangled 
male,  which  has  a  white  tail  spangled  with  black.  The 
hackle  feathers  in  both  sexes  of  the  Golden  Spangled  va- 
riety are  striped  with  black,  while  in  the  Silver  Spangled 
variety  the  feathers  of  this  section  are  marked  with  an 
elongated  black  spangle.  See  Figs.  80  and  81.  The 
under  color  should  be  slaty  black.  ]\Iales  having  this 
under  color  with  a  light  under  color  of  fluff"  produce  the 
best  cockerels. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects  in  ad- 
dition to  those  common  to  the  breed   (page  240 J   must  be 


THE    HAMBURG    CLASS 


243 


guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  round,  moon- 
shaped  or  poorly-shaped  spangles;  patchiness ;  frosting; 
shafting;  laced  breast  in  males. 


4         ^^/Aiy^/P  .^/^^yWcS'A^ZD 


/V^/^^c//^<Si3' 


V^A  l-^T^*^'i'"™^7J^^^.  ^^'^^T  Spangled    Hamburg   feathers.     M    indicates    male 

ana    a    female.     (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal   Industry,    United 

States    Department   of   Agriculture.) 


244 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OE    POULTRY 


The  Silver  Spangled  Hamburg 


In  breeding  this  variety,  exactly  the  same  method  is 
used  as  in  breeding  the  Golden  Spangled  variety.  These 
two  varieties  are  identical  except  that  the  Golden  color 
of  the  Golden  variety  is  replaced  by  white,  and  the  male 
tail  of  the  Silver  Spangled  variety  is  white  spangled  with 

black,      whereas 

that  of  the  Gol- 
den Spangled 
male  is  solid 
black ;  also  in 
this  variety  the 
hackle  feathers 
of  both  sexes 
are  marked  with 
a  n  elongated 
spangle  instead 
of  being  striped 
as  in  the  Golden 
Spangled  va- 
riety. The  de- 
sired shape  of 
s  p  an  g  1  e  s  is 
somewhat  easier 
to  get  in  this 
variety  than  in 
the  Golden 
Spangled.  There 
are  certain  de- 
fects which  must  be  guarded  against  in  this  variety  which 
do  not  apply  to  the  Golden  Spangled  variety.  Brown  on  the 
throat  and  shoulders  of  males  and  on  the  throat  of  females 
must  be  avoided.  The  necks  in  both  sexes  are  likely  to  come 
too  light,  or  even  white,  and  this  same  trouble  is  likely  to 
extend  around  on  the  throat. 


Fig.  82— Hen  feathered  Silver  Spangled  Hamburg 
male.  (Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  In- 
dustry,   United    States    Department    of    Agriculture.) 


THE    HAMBURG    CLASS 


245 


In  the  Silver  Spangled  Hamburg  there  sometimes  occur 
hen  feathered  males.  These  males  are  marked  like  the 
females,  and  have  short  or  no  sickle  feathers  and  no 
saddle  feathers.  Often  they  will  not  fertilize  eggs,  but 
when  they  will  they  should  be  bred  to  standard  females, 
as  they  are  especially  valuable  to  produce  good  females. 
See  Fig.  82. 

Where  white  in  face  is  troublesome,  gypsy  or  dark 
purple-faced  females  may  be  used  in  the  mating  to  get 
rid  of  this  defect. 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  following  defects  in  ad- 
dition to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  240)  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  broad,  moon- 
shaped  or  poorly-shaped  spangles ;  patchiness ;  brown  on 
throat  of  both  sexes ;  brown  on  shoulders  of  males ;  frost- 
ing ;  shafting ;  too  light  colored  or  v/hite  necks  or  throats 
in  both  sexes ;  laced  breast  in  males. 

*The  Golden  Penciled  Hamburg 

In  this  variety  the  penciling  should  be  narrow  and 
straight  across  the  feathers,  distinct  and  clean  cut,  and 
the  black  and 
bay  bars  equal 
in  width.  The 
black  of  the 
penciling  should 
show  a  green 
luster  or  sheen. 
The  hardest 
places  to  get 
good  penciling 
in  the  females 
are  on  the 
throat      and 

i^  -  p    .    1  •  Fis.  83 — Cockerel  bred  Golden  Penciled  Hamburg  fe- 

DreaSL.  l  aTCni-  male    showinj?     coai-se,     irregular     penciling.      (Photo- 

riAcc      r\r-  on     iir»  graph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United 

llC^b,    UI  an     UU-  states  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


246 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 


BACK      M. 


^m^' 


>^\ 


V'///WO  BOW  /^ 


l# 


".Pi:  -S"  M. 


W^l 


HEN     FEATHERED 
GOLDEN      PENCILLED     MAMQURG 


Fig.  84 — The  marking  of  a  hen  feathered  male  are  nearly  identical  with 
those  of  the  females  of  the  same  variety.  In  the  case  of  the  male  from 
which  these  feathers  were  taken,  all  sections  are  hen  feathered  except  the 
hackle,  the  feathers  of  which  are  the  same,  both  in  shape  and  markings,  as 
those  of  males  which  are  not  hen  feathered  and  which  are  standard  in 
hackle.  Males  occur  in  which  the  hackle  also  is  hen  feathered.  See  Fig.  87. 
(Potograph   from   the   Bureau   of   Animal   Industry,    United    States    Depart- 

of  Agriculture.) 


THE   HAMBURG    CLASS 


247 


evenness  of  the  general  ground  color,  occurs,  but  must  be 
avoided.  In  the  standard  male  there  is  some  tendency  for 
the  black  and  golden  in  the  sickles  and  coverts  to  mix.  These 
feathers  should  show  a  sharp,  clear-cut  banding  or  edg- 
ing about  Ys  inch  wide,  with  a  rich,  lustrous,  clean 
black  center. 

In  breeding  this  variety,  it  is  customary  to  use  the 
double  mating  system.     The  two  matings  are  as  follows : 

Cockerel  mating. — Select  a  standard  male.  To  him 
mate  females  whose  penciling  is  very  coarse  and  ir- 
regular. Such  females  usually  are  lacking  in  penciling 
of  breast  and  throat.  See  Fig.  83.  Be  sure  that  their 
flight  feathers  are  a  good,  positive  black,  as  this  gives  the 
black  ground  color  and  strength  of  color  to  the 
male's  tail. 


Fig.    85  —Pullet  bred   Golden   Penciled    Hamburg   female  showing  fine- 
ness  and    regularity   of    barring    as    compared    with    the    cockerel   bred 
female,   Fig.   83.      (Photograph   from   the   Bureau   of   Animal   Industry, 
United   States   Department  of   Agriculture.) 


248  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

Pullet  mating. — Use  a  hen-feathered  male  if  possible, 
that  is,  a  male  which  is  as  near  the  exhibition  female  in 
markings  as  possible.  Males  almost  identical  in  mark- 
ings to  the  females  are  produced  and  are  valuable  as 
breeders  if  they  will  fertilize  eggs.  Often,  however, 
these  hen-feathered  males  will  not  fertilize.  These  males 
have  short  sickles  or  no  sickles,  which  increases  their 
resemblance  to  the  females.  Use  standard  colored  fe- 
males for  the  mating.     See  Fig.  85. 

In  breeding  this  variety,  the  following  defects  in  ad- 
dition to  those  common  to  the  breed  (page  240)  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible :  Too  open  pencil- 
ing, penciling  not  straight  across  the  feathers,  patchiness 
or  unevenness  of  color,  the  black  and  golden  of  the  sickles 
and  tail  coverts  mixing,  and  poor  penciling  on  the  breast 
and  throat  of  females. 

The  Silver  Penciled  Hamburg 

This  variety  is  practically  identical  with  the  Golden 
Penciled  variety,  except  that  the  golden  color  is  replaced 
by  white.  In  breeding,  the  double  mating  system  is  used 
and  the  matings  employed  are  the  same  as  for  the  Golden 
Penciled  varieties  (page  247),  bearing  in  mind  the  dif- 
ference in  color  of  the  two  varieties. 


*Confusion  sometimes  arises  over  the  term  penciled  or  pencil- 
ing", due  to  the  fact  that  it  is  used  to  describe  two  different  types 
of  markings.  In  the  Silver  and  Golden  Penciled  Hamburgs,  the 
penciling  consists  of  a  series  of  parallel  bars  extending  across 
the  feathers,  while  in  other  penciled  breeds,  such  as  the  Silver 
Penciled  Wyandotte,  the  Silver  Penciled  Plymouth  Rock  or  the 
Dark  Brahma,  the  penciling  consists  of  a  series  of  concentric 
parallel  markings,  which  follow  the  shape  of  the  outline  of  the 
feathers.  This  latter  form  of  penciling  is  like  that  which  is 
found  in  Partridge  varieties.    (See  page  245.) 


THE    HAMBURG    CLASS 


249 


-t 


'if 


'■■~^^~7^  -=" 


S-^-^-^^ST-  .^ 


/=L(y/^/=^  /=£^/-Z^^£' 


3/^  [y^/p  /=>£'/vc/i.  /^o 


/=L(y^/^M/^/i£^ 


Fig.  86 — Well-marked   Silfyer  Penciled   Hamburg^  feathers.     M    indicates  male 

and  F  female.      (Photoj?raph    from   the   Bureau    of  Animal    Industry,    United 

State*  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


250 


THE    MATING   AND   BREEDING  OF   POULTRY 


■^Pl 


■  ii^/A^  £>C)i^ /y. 


y'^>^CA^/.^:^'yV 


y'^^:  6y/r>^  y^  \ 


^^/j^PZ/T  yv. 


Fig.  87— The  male  from  which  these  feathers  were  taken  is  hen  feathered 
in  all  sections,  as  is  evident  both  in  the  shape  of  the  feathers  and  the 
markings,  which  are  like  those  of  Silver  Penciled  Hamburg:  females. 
(Photograph  from  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.) 


THE    HAMBURG    CLASS  251 

The  White  Hamburg 

In  breeding  this  variety,  the  single  or  standard  mating 
is  employed.  Birds  of  both  sexes  are  chosen  as  breeders 
which  most  nearly  approach  the  standard.  As  in  any 
other  white  variety,  the  plumage  should  be  as  pure  white 
as  possible,  free  from  any  brassiness  or  creaminess,  and 
from  any  foreign  color.  Black  ticking  and  brassiness 
are  the  two  most  troublesome  color  defects  in  this  va- 
riety. Guard  against  pale  or  white  legs  in  both  sexes. 
For  defects  common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  240. 

The  Black  Hamburg 

This  variety  is  especially  characterized  by  the  green 
sheen  of  the  birds  of  both  sexes,  which  is  so  pronounced 
as  to  cause  good  specimens  to  appear  almost  beetle  green 
in  color.  This  sheen  should  be  present  in  the  females  as 
well  as  the  males,  and  the  Black  Hamburg  females  are 
probably  ahead  of  any  other  black  females  in  the  height 
of  green  sheen  and  the  freedom  from  purple.  Purple 
barring  is  often  largely  a  matter  of  condition,  and  birds 
in  perfect  health  seldom  show  it.  However,  purple 
barring  not  due  to  poor  condition  is  present  in  some 
strains  and  is,  of  course,  a  defect. 

In  breeding  this  variety,  both  the  single  mating  and 
the  double  mating  systems  are  employed. 

In  the  single  mating,  use  a  highly  colored  beetle  green 
male  with  black  females  of  medium  sheen.  From  this 
mating  will  be  secured  good  specimens  of  both  sexes. 
This  mating  is  recommended  because  it  will  produce  the 
fewest  culls. 

Where  double  matings  are  used,  the  pullet  mating 
should  consist  of  a  high-colored  male  which  may  show  a 
little  red  or  straw  color  in  hackle  and  saddle,  mated  to 
high-colored  females.     From  this  mating  the  females  will 


252  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

be  very  fine,  but  the  males  will  often  come  with  red  or 
straw  colored  hackles.  These  males  can  be  used  in  the 
future  pullet  matings.  To  get  extreme  sheen  in  females, 
a  Golden  Spangled  male  is  sometimes  mated  to  high- 
colored  females.  The  males  from  this  mating  are,  how- 
ever, useless  either  for  exhibition  or  breeding. 

The  cockerel  mating  should  consist  of  an  exhibition 
male  mated  to  real  dull-colored  females.  This  mating 
will  produce  a  fair  percentage  of  fine  colored  males  and 
also  a  smaller  percentage  of  good  females.  The  females 
for  this  mating  usually  have  a  longer  tail,  with  long  and 
slightly  curved  sickle  feathers.  Where  white  in  face  is 
troublesome,  gypsy-faced  females  can  be  used  in  the 
cockerel  mating  to  get  rid  of  the  defect.  For  defects 
common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  guarded  against  in 
so  far  as  possible,  see  page  240. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  FRENCH  CLASS 

The  Houdan 


This  breed  is  comparatively  low  set  in  tvpe,  approaching 
somewhat  the  Dorking  in  this  respect,  llie  body  is  loner  and 
broad,  and  the  breast  full  and  prominent.  This  breed  has  a 
large,  full  crest,  and  possesses  a  beard.  The  comb  should 
be  V-shaped  and  small.  Any  tendency  toward  a  large  comb 
must  be  avoided.  The  comb  should  be  set  well  back  against 
the  crest  in  both  male  and  female.  The  smaller  the  comb 
the     better.       The 


beak  should  have 
an  open  or  raised 
nostril  (page  253). 
Fig.  88. 

The  tail  is  mod- 
erately low  carried 
and  is  much  fuller 
and    better    spread 
in  the  male  than  in 
the    female.      The 
body  slopes  slightly 
from  the  shoulders 
toward  the  tail.     It 
is     important    that 
the     crest     be     set 
firmly  and  straight 
on   the  head,   with 
no   tendency   to  be 
lop-sided.     E  s  p  e- 
cially    large    crests 


Pig.   88— Head   of  Houdan   male.       1— Crest        2— V- 
shaped   comb.     3— Raised  or  open  nostril.     4— Muff 
5 — Beard. 
253 


254  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

are  very  apt  to  be  lop-sided,  or,  in  other  words,  to  fall  over 
to  one  side. 

The  fourth  and  fifth  toes  should  be  well  separated,  show- 
ing no  tendency  for  these  two  toes  to  grow  together.  The 
legs  and  toes  should  be  free  from  feathers,  but  there  is  some 
tendency  toward  stubs.  Frequently  specimens  show  down 
between  the  toes,  and  this  is  apt  to  be  more  apparent  as  the 
age  increases.  It  is  not  necessary  to  discard  for  breeding 
purposes  birds  which  show  down,  although,  of  course,  it  is 
better  to  use  birds  which  are  free  from  this. 

In  making  the  matings  in  this  breed  it  is  necessary  to 
guard  against  the  following  defects  in  so  far  as  possible : 
body  set  too  high  on  legs ;  too  large  comb ;  lop-sided  crest ; 
fourth  and  fifth  toes  growing  together  ;  stubs. 

The  White  Houdan 

In  selecting  the  matings  for  this  variety,  a  single  or 
standard  mating  system  is  used.  The  plumage  of  both  sexes 
should  be  white  throughout  and  should  be  free  from  foreign 
color  of  any  kind.  P^or  defects  common  to  the  breed,  which 
must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  254. 

The  Mottled  Houdan 

In  making  the  mating  for  this  variety  it  is  common  to  use 
the  single  or  standard  mating.  Birds  of  both  sexes  should 
be  selected  which  approach  the  standard  as  closely  as  pos- 
sible, both  in  type  and  in  color.  There  is,  however,  many 
times  a  tendency  for  the  hens  to  become  lighter  in  color  as 
they  grow  older,  this  being  due,  as  in  the  case  of  other 
mottled  varieties,  to  the  appearance  of  more  white  with 
successive  molts.  If  this  tendency  for  the  hens  to  come  too 
light  is  troublesome,  it  must  be  offset  by  using  darker  males 
to  mate  with  the  hens.  The  white  tip  which  forms  the 
mottling  should  be  V-shaped,  and  the  white  and  the  black 
should  be  distinct,  there  being  no  tendency  for  the  black  to 


THE    FRENCH    CLASS  255 

run  into  the  white.  Any  tendency  toward  round  tips  instead 
of  V-shaped  tips  must  be  guarded  against.  There  is  also  a 
tendency  for  the  tips  to  come  irregular  in  their  shape  and 
to  be  so  large  as  to  cause  a  white  or  grayish  white  splashing 
through  the  plumage.  This  is  undesirable,  and  birds  which 
show  much  splashing  should  not  be  bred  from. 

\\'hite  feathers  are  apt  to  come  in  the  crest,  and  the  tend- 
ency is  for  the  crest  to  grow  whiter  with  age.  Too  much 
white  in  crest  or  entire  white  feathers,  especially  in  young 
birds,  must  be  selected  against.  Solid  white  feathers  some- 
times occur  in  the  tail  and  wing  flights.  It  is  best  not  to  use 
these  birds  as  breeders,  but  if  one  has  exceptional  specimens 
with  some  white  in  wings  and  tail,  it  is  possible  to  use  them 
by  mating  with  a  bird  very  strong  in  this  respect  to  oflFset 
the  defect.  White  feathers  also  occur  at  times  in  the  body 
of  females,  and  these  are  undesirable.  For  defects  common 
to  the  breed,  which  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as 
possible,  see  page  254. 

The  Crevecoeur 

This  is  a  black  breed  which  is  slightly  larger  in  size  than 
the  Houdan,  but  which  is  somewhat  similar  in  type,  run- 
ning a  little  higher  on  legs.  In  crest  and  comb  it  is  like 
the  Houdan.  Unlike  the  Houdan,  how^ever,  this  breed 
has  but  four  toes. 

There  is  somewhat  of  a  tendency  for  this  breed  to  come 
under  weight,  and  this  must  be  guarded  against  in  makins^ 
the  mating.  It  is  common  to  use  only  the  single  or  standard 
mating,  selecting  birds  of  both  sexes  which  approach  the 
standard  as  nearly  as  possible. 

The  commonest  color  defects  are  white  in  wings  and  white 
in  crest.  White  occurs  in  crest  with  age  and  rarely  appears 
in  cockerels  or  pullets.  It  is  therefore  a  much  more  serious 
defect  when  found  in  young  birds  than  in  old  birds.  \M-iite 
in  body  plumage  should  be  rigidly  selected  against,  either  in 
young  birds  or  in  old  birds. 


256  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

The  La  Fleche 

The  La  Fleche  is  the  largest  of  the  French  breeds  which 
are  standard  in  this  country.  In  type  it  is  a  higher,  rangier 
bird  than  either  the  Houdan  or  the  Crevecoeur,  having  a 
good  length  of  leg.  The  back  is  long  and  broad  and  the 
breast  full  and  prominent.  The  body  slants  backward  from 
shoulders  to  tail.  The  tail  is  large  and  well  spread,  and  is 
carried  moderately  low  in  the  male  and  somewhat  higher  in 
the  female.  It  is  rather  difficult  to  keep  this  breed  up  in 
size,  and  it  is  therefore  necessary  to  use  birds  which  are  of 
good  size  for  breeding.  The  comb  should  be  a  clean, 
V-shaped  comb  of  medium  size.  It  should  be  larger  at  the 
base  and  gradually  taper  to  two  distinct  points.  There  is  a 
tendency,  however,  for  the  comb  to  be  beefy  and  the  prongs 
to  flatten  out  at  the  ends,  thus  approaching  a  leaf  comb, 
which  should  be  avoided.  It  also  shows  some  tendency  to 
lop  forward  instead  of  being  erect.  This  breed  should  be 
as  free  as  possible  from  any  sign  of  crest,  which  may  occur 
as  a  tuft  of  feathers  at  the  rear  of  the  comb.  However,  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  secure  birds  which  are  absolutely  free 
from  any  indication  of  a  tuft.  White  in  face  sometimes 
occurs,  especially  in  cockerels,  and  must  be  avoided. 

Breed  from  big-boned  and  rangy  birds  which  have  long 
backs  and  show  no  tendency  toward  narrow  backs.  The 
beak  should  be  good  and  strong,  with  open  or  raised  nostril 
(page  253).  A  good  width  of  feather  is  desired.  In  making 
the  mating,  select  birds  which  approach  in  both  sexes  as 
closely  as  possible  to  the  standard,  both  in  type  and  in  color. 

As  in  most  black  breeds,  there  is  a  tendency  for  the 
plumage  to  show  purple  barring.  This  must  be  avoided,  as 
the  La  Fleche  is  not  so  free  from  this  as  some  of  the  other 
black  breeds,  such  as  the  Hamburg  and  Langshan.  AMiite 
also  may  occur  in  under  color  of  hackle,  back  and  saddle, 
and  this  is  undesirable.  Red  or  straw  sometimes  occurs  in 
the  hackles  of  males.     This  should  be  avoided,  unless  it  is 


THE    FRENCH    CLASS  257 

desired  to  use  such  males  in  a  special  mating  for  the  purpose 
of  increasing  the  green  sheen  of  the  females,  which  has  a 
tendency  to  be  lacking,  and  the  plumage  to  become  dull  black. 


/ , 

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Mm^. 

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V 

4  fr 

Figr.  89— Well-marked   Salmon   Faverolles  feathers.     M   indicates  male  and   F 

female.      (Photograph    from    the   Bureau   of   Animal    Industry,   United   States 

Department  of  Agriculture.) 


258  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

In  such  a  case,  use  a  male  with  red  in  hackle  with  females 
which  show  a  good  green  sheen.  Guard  against  white  in 
any  part  of  the  plumage,  especially  in  the  wing. 

This  breed  is  an  old  established  one,  and  breeds  compara- 
tively true  to  standard  requirements. 

The  Salmon  Faverolles 

The  Faverolles  is  a  breed  of  which  there  are  several 
varieties,  but  at  the  present  time  the  salmon  variety  is  the 
only  one  which  has  been  admitted  to  the  Standard  of  Per- 
fection. This  breed  is  broad  and  deep  in  body,  but  has  not 
the  length  of  body  which  the  other  French  breeds  possess. 
It  is  free  from  crest,  but  has  a  full  beard  and  muffs.  The 
Faverolles  also  has  a  fifth  toe,  and  the  shanks  and  the  outer 
toes  may  be  sparsely  feathered. 

In  making  the  mating  it  is  usual  to  employ  the  single  or 
standard  mating.  One  of  the  principal  color  defects  which 
must  be  guarded  against  is  striping  in  the  hackle  and  saddle 
of  the  male.  Males  without  any  stripe  in  hackle  and  saddle 
give  a  clear  hackle  in  females,  while  those  which  show 
striping  are  apt  to  cause  a  black  ticking  in  the  hackle  feath- 
ers. Breeders  of  both  sexes  should  have  clean  hackle.  The 
breeders  should  be  set  quite  low  on  legs,  and  it  is  necessary 
to  guard  against  fowls  which  are  too  long  in  leg.  Birds 
which  are  of  too  upstanding  a  type  and  which  lack  in  breast 
and  length  of  keel,  and  those  showing  only  four  toes,  must 
be  selected  against.  Vulture  hocks  sometimes  occur  in 
males,  but  this  defect  is  not  so  troublesome  in  the  Salmon 
Faverolles  as  in  the  other  non-standard  varieties. 


CHAPTER  XI 
THE  CONTINENTAL  CT-ASS 

The  Campine 

This  is  a  breed  which  in  size  and  type  approaches  very 
closely  to  the  Leghorn.  It  possesses  a  long,  rather  slim 
body,  tail  carried  moderately  low,  and  set  quite  high  on 
legs.  The  comb  is  single  and  is  like  the  Leghorn  comb 
except  that  it  has  somewhat  more  of  a  tendency  to  run 
too  large.  The  male  of  this  breed  differs  from  the  Leg- 
horn male  somewhat  in  the  character  of  feathering.  In- 
stead of  having  long,  flowing  saddle  feathers  like  the 
Leghorn  male,  the  Campine  male  has  a  hen-feathered 
saddle,  in  which  the  feathers  are  relatively  wide  and  have 
round  tips  instead  of  pointed  tips. 

In  making  the  mating  in  this  breed,  it  is  necessary  to 
guard  against  high  tails,  which  are  quite  troublesome. 
It  is  also  necessary  to  be  sure  that  the  eyes  are 
dark  brown,  or  if  possible,  approaching  black  in  color, 
and  do  not  tend  toward  a  lighter  red  eye,  as  there  is  a 
decided  tendency  in  older  birds  for  the  eye  to  fade  out 
to  a  lighter  color.  As  in  the  Leghorn,  there  is  some 
trouble  with  white  in  face,  particularly  in  the  male,  and 
this  must  be  guarded  against.  Stubs  sometimes  occur, 
but  they  are  not  very  troublesome  in  this  breed.  The 
back  should  be  long,  and  this,  together  with  the  medium, 
low-carried  tail,  does  away  with  any  appearance  of  a 
*'U"-shaped  back.  Birds  w4th  such  a  back  are  not  de- 
sirable as  breeders. 

Occasional  tinted  eggs  will  be  obtained  from  females 
of    this    breed.      As    chalk-white    eggs    are    desired,    hens 

259 


260 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


should  be  selected  as  breeders  which  lay  eggs  of  this 
color,  and  the  male  should  be  out  of  a  hen  which  lays 
chalk-white  eggs. 


^fii-Hfc 


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ff/?^^5T 


/-^A^(.'  -^.  r 


■t        A«i 


B/^£-^sr  /^ 


/^Z.(jr/^    /^^AZ^/-£ 


jrig,  90— Well-marked  Silver  Campine  feathers.     M  indicates  male  and  F  fe- 
male.     (Photograph    from    the    Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States 
Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE    CONTINENTAL    CLASS  261 

The  Silver  Campine 

In  selecting  a  mating  for  this  variety,  use  a  single  or 
standard  mating.  Birds  of  both  sexes  should  approach 
the  standard  as  closely  as  possible,  and  the  barring  of  the 
feathers  of  the  male  and  female  should  be  as  nearly  alike 
as  possible.  It  is  not  good  policy  to  mate  a  bird  of  one 
sex  having  a  narrow  barring  with  birds  of  the  opposite 
sex  having  a  wide  barring.  The  barring  should  be  sharp 
and  as  clearly  defined  as  it  is  possible  to  secure  it,  and 
the  colors  should  not  mix  or  run  down  the  quill.  While 
the  black  bar  should  be  slightly  V-shaped  with  the  point 
of  the  V  at  the  quill,  this  V-shape  should  not  be  very 
marked.  Females  which  show  nice,  clean  breast  barring 
are  quite  apt  to  have  a  slight  amount  of  ticking  in  the 
lower  half  of  the  hackle.  It  is  best  not  to  discard  pullets 
showing  this  ticking,  but  otherwise  good,  as  they  are  apt 
to  molt  in  with  clear  hackles,  as  the  hackle  tends  to  get 
whiter  at  each  molt,  while  the  breast  barring  is  likely  to 
hold  good.  This  ticking  occasionally  occurs  in  males 
also,  and  this  should  be  avoided  so  far  as  possible.  There 
is  a  tendency  for  white  saddle  hangers  to  occur  in  the 
male,  and  this  must  be  avoided.  Extremely  wide  back 
feathers  when  they  occur  indicate  the  Belgian  type,  and 
are  not  desirable.  As  stated  before,  the  barring  should 
be  distinct  and  well  defined,  and  there  should  be  no  in- 
dication of  an  intermediate  brown  between  the  black  and 
white  bars.  It  is  difficult  in  both  sexes  to  get  the  main 
tail  feathers  barred  clear  across,  although  the  sickles  of 
the  male  come  good  in  this  respect. 

For  defects  common  to  the  breed  which  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  259. 

The  Golden  Campine 

This  bird  is  exactly  the  same  as  the  Silver  Campine 
except  that  the  silver  color  is  replaced  by  golden  bay. 


262  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

In  making  the  mating,  the  same  considerations  should 
be  kept  in  mind  as  in  the  Silver  Campine  (page  261),  al- 
ways remembering  this  fact — that  the  silver  is  replaced 
by  the  golden  bay  color.  For  defects  common  to  the 
breed  which  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible, see  page  259. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE  GAME  AND  GAME  BANTAM  CLASS 
The  Exhibition  Game 

Exhibition  games  are  to  the  chicken  world  what  the 
thoroughbred  is  to  the  horse  world.  They  must  be  full 
of  stamina,  vigor  and  health.  They  must  be  racy,  keen 
of  eye,  alert,  active  and  high  strung.  Their  general  poise 
and  spring  may  be  well  expressed  by  saying  that  they 
must  be  on  tiptoe  all  the  time.  Weak  constitutions 
must  be  guarded  against,  as  such  birds  will  not  have  the 
alertness  and  snappiness  desired. 

The  high  station  of  these  birds  is  very  characteristic  of 
the  breed.  Their  bodies  are  set  high  up  on  long  legs 
which  show  length,  particularly  in  the  thigh.  The  shank 
and  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  thigh  is  distinctly  visible 
underneath  the  body.  These  birds  have  by  far  the  highest 
station  of  any  of  the  standard  breeds.  The  maintenance 
of  this  high  station,  since  it  is  so  characteristic,  is  very 
important. 

The  head  should  be  long  and  slender,  and  any  tendency 
toward  a  short  and  thick  head,  or,  as  sometimes  termed, 
a  *'bull-head,"  is  to  be  avoided.  There  should  be  no 
prominence  or  projection  of  the  skull  over  the  eyes.  The 
comb  of  the  male  is  unimportant,  since  the  males  are 
dubbed  at  an  early  age.  However,  a  small,  erect  and 
thin  comb,  with  even  serrations,  is  desired  on  the  fe- 
males. The  eye  must  be  fiery  and  show  lots  of  spirit. 
Avoid  a  mellow  eye,  that  is,  one  lacking  in  spirit  and 
having  too  much  of  a  soft  or  mild  quality. 

The  neck  in  both  sexes  is  long,  slender  and  erect,  and 
blends  smoothly  with  the  back.  The  hackle  feathering 
is  close  and  rather  scanty,  especially  in  front. 

263  _ 


264  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

In  general,  the  body  is  well  rounded.  There  are  no 
conspicuous  angles  in  the  make-up  of  the  bird.  Viewed 
from  the  side,  the  body  has  the  general  shape  of  a  beef's 
heart,  with  the  large  end  at  the  shoulders  and  the  small 
end  at  the  stern.  The  body  and  the  back  line,  which  is 
straight,  slopes  downward  decidedly  from  front  to  back. 
The  back  is  broad  at  the  shoulders  and  tapers  back 
toward  the  stern,  giving  the  body  a  flatiron  shape  as 
viewed  from  above.  Avoid  a  bird  as  a  breeder  which 
does  not  taper  in  body,  as  from  that  type  one  cannot 
expect  to  produce  good  specimens.  The  saddle  is  short, 
the  ends  of  the  saddle  feathers  not  extending  below  the 
underline  of  the  body.  The  breast  is  quite  prominent, 
well  rounded  and  carried  well  up.  Crooked  breasts  must 
be  avoided. 

The  wing  should  be  short  and  well  tucked  up,  that  is, 
held  up  snugly  in  place.  The  wing  should  lack  about 
half  an  inch  of  reaching  the  stern.  The  Black  Red  and 
Red  Pyle  varieties  are  best  in  this  respect,  while  the 
Black  and  the  White  varieties  are  the  poorest.  Wings 
are  sometimes  carried  with  the  points  up  on  the  back. 
This  should  be  avoided. 

The  stern  must  be  well  tucked  up  and  well  muscled.  It 
must  not  be  loose  or  have  a  tendency  to  hang  down.  Of 
course  hens  with  age  and  when  laying  show  more  of  a  tend- 
ency toward  this  condition. 

The  tail  must  be  closely  and  tightly  folded  and  run  out  to 
a  point,  or  be  what  is  often  termed  a  "whip"  tail.  Do  not 
breed  from  loose-tailed  birds,  as  the  shape  of  tail  is  very^ 
important.  The  tail  is  carried  very  low,  just  about  on  th^ 
horizontal.  High  tails  are  undesirable.  The  junction  of  the 
back  and  tail  is  smooth,  no  angle  being  caused.  •  -^ 

The  legs  must  be  long,  straight  and  wide  apart.  The  birds 
must  be  absolutely  plumb  or  square  on  their  shanks'  or 
"pins."  There  is  some  tendency  not  to  be  set  square  onl^gs, 
and  this  must  be  avoided  in  the  breeders.    The  legs  must  be 


THE    GAME    AXD    GAME    BANTAM    CLASS  265 

set  wide  apart,  with  no  tendency  toward  knock-knees.  The 
shanks  should  be  round.  Hke  pipe  stems.  Avoid  any  tend- 
ency toward  flat  shanks.  The  toes  must  be  firm  and  straight 
and  be  of  good  length,  but  not  so  long  as  to  be  out  of  pro- 
portion, as  the  bird  must  have  grace.  It  is  important  that 
the  fourth  toe  extend  back,  as  this  helps  to  give  the  bird 
poise  and  spring.  Avoid  a  fourth  toe  which  bends  around 
toward  the  side,  or  the  condition  which  is  commonly  known 
as  "duck  foot."  The  birds  must  stand  strongly  on  legs  and 
the  hock  joints  must  not  be  weak  or  show  a  tendency  to 
buckle.  Many  specimens  otherwise  nearly  perfect  have  such 
weak  legs  or  hock  joints  that  they  cannot  get  up. 

The  bone  of  this  breed  should  be  good,  hard  and  straight 
in  every  section,  but  while  a  good  quality  of  bone  is  neces- 
sary, it  should  not  be  coarse.  The  birds  should  also  be  hard 
and  well  muscled  throughout. 

The  texture  of  the  feathers  and  the  character  of  the 
feathering  are  very  important.  The  feathers  should  have 
hardness  and  shortness,  and  the  quills  must  be  hard.  This  is 
very  important,  as  the  feathers  must  hug  the  body  closely  so 
as  to  give  the  extremely  tight  feathering  desired.  There 
nuist  be  no  looseness  of  feathering,  ^^'hen  the  feathers  are 
raised  in  any  section  and  then  released,  they  should  snap 
back  into  position  like  springs.  The  feathers  of  the  wing, 
when  riffled,  must  show  hardness  and  snap  back  into 
position  sharply. 

The  birds  for  breeders  should  run  good  in  size  for  the 
breed.  Too  small  birds  should  be  avoided,  and  very  large 
birds  are  not  apt  to  be  as  good  in  type. 

Great  care  must  be  exercised  in  raising  and  handling 
games  in  order  to  get  the  best  results.  This  is  but  little  less 
important  than  the  breeding,  in  so  far  as  type  is  concerned. 
They  must  be  carefully  handed  until  they  are  through  the 
pin  feather  stage,  as  they  are  delicate  up  to  this  point.  For 
^he  same  reason  they  must  be  kept  free  from  lice,  as  they 
eannot  stand  them.     Until  they  have  gotten  a  good  start, 


266  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

they  must  be  kept  out  of  the  morning  dampness  and  dew. 
To  keep  them  high  strung  and  to  avoid  crowding,  which 
they  cannot  withstand,  they  should  be  raised  only  in  small 
flocks.  Iliey  should  be  raised  on  range  to  give  them  consti- 
tution and  good  bone.  As  they  grow,  they  should  be  fed  in 
cups,  placed  high  on  the  wall  so  as  to  give  the  birds  reach. 
When  being  trained  also,  this  high  feeding  should  be  con- 
tinued. Hard  grain  only  should  be  fed,  never  any  sloppy 
feeds,  so  as  to  develop  bone  and  muscle  and  to  make  the 
feathering  tight  and  hard.  Overfeeding  must  be  avoided, 
as  it  tends  to  cause  the  birds  to  go  weak  on  legs.  They  must 
not  be  allowed  to  roost  very  early,  and  when  roosts  are 
provided  they  should  be  broad,  in  order  to  avoid  crooked 
breast  bones.  The  birds  must  be  held  carefully  and  securely 
when  handling  them,  as  they  are  likely  to  flutter  or  struggle 
suddenly  and  violently,  and  with  a  quick  twist  may  break 
their  legs. 

When  exhibiting,  it  is  well  to  keep  feed  from  the  birds 
until  after  they  are  judged,  as  feeding  tends  to  destroy  the 
lines  of  breast  by  causing  the  crop  to  protrude. 

When  the  birds  are  in  condition  to  show,  they  should  have 
a  hard-muscled  feeling,  or,  as  often  stated,  should  be  hard 
as  nails.  There  should  be  an  entire  absence  of  any  flabby 
feeling. 

In  breeding  Games,  the  following  defects  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible:  lack  of  constitution,  vigor, 
stamina  or  health ;  lack  of  activity  and  alertness ;  listless 
poise ;  lack  of  high  station ;  too  short  legs ;  short,  thick 
head ;  prominence  or  projection  of  skull  over  eyes ;  mellow 
eye,  that  is,  one  lacking  in  fire  and  spirit ;  body  or  back  not 
tapering  from  shoulders  to  stern ;  crooked  breasts ;  wing 
too  long ;  wing  not  well  tucked  up ;  loose  tail,  that  Is,  one 
not  closely  and  tightly  folded;  birds  not  square  on  legs; 
legs  not  straight ;  knock-knees ;  flat  shanks ;  duck  foot ; 
weak  or  buckled  hock  joints;  loose  or  baggy  stern;  too 
corifSie  bone ;    not   well   muscled ;    feathers  not   hard  and 


THE    GAME    AND    GAME    BANTAM    CLASS  267 

short ;    feathering  not  tight ;    too   small  birds ;    extremely 
large  birds ;  too  high  tail  and  wings  carried  up  on  back. 

The  Black-Breasted  Red  Game 

In  breeding  this  variety  it  is  customary  to  use  double 
matings.  However,  there  is  some  difference  in  the  matings 
used,  and  two  distinct  sets  of  matings  are  here  described. 

One  breeder  advises  the  following  mating : 

Cockerel  mating. — Select  a  standard-colored  male. 
Guard  against  pronounced  hackle  and  saddle  striping  in 
exhibition  Black  Red  males.  With  him  mate  females  which 
show  excessive  steely  gray  stippling  on  back  and  some  red, 
bricky  or  wheaten  color  on  wing  bows  and  shoulders.  These 
females  should  be  standard  in  other  respects. 

Another  breeder  advises  a  cockerel  mating  in  which  both 
the  male  and  the  females  are  standard.  The  percentage  of 
standard-colored  males  from  this  mating  is  much  greater 
than  of  standard-colored  females. 

Pullet  mating. — The  pullet  mating  advised  by  the 
breeder  giving  the  first  cockerel  mating  above,  consists  of  a 
male  which  is  generally  darker  in  top  color,  that  is,  hackle, 
back,  wing  bows  and  saddle,  but  free  from  red  in  wing  bows. 
He  should  also  show  some  red  coloring  on  breast  and  fluff, 
this  being  more  pronounced  as  the  bird  ages.  This  red  in 
breast  and  fluff  is  a  distinct  difference  from  the  cockerel- 
bred  male,  which  should  be  solid  in  his  black  at  all  times. 
The  male  for  this  mating  should  also  be  as  free  from 
striping  in  hackle  and  saddle  as  possible,  although  a  small 
amount  of  striping  in  these  sections  is  not  serious.  The 
females  used  in  this  mating  should  be  standard. 

The  pullet  mating  advised  by  the  breeder  giving  the  second 
cockerel  mating  above  consists  of  a  male  showing  a  very 
light  top  color  throughout,  one  which  approaches  lemon  very 
closely  and  gets  away  from  the  red.  He  should  be  sound, 
that  is,  solid  black,  in  breast  and  body  color.    Mate  standard- 


268      THE  MATING  AND  BREEDING  OF  POULTRY 

colored  females  with  this  male.  This  mating  will  tend  to 
keep  down  the  stippling  in  the  females  so  that  it  will  not  be 
too  strong  and  will  produce  a  larger  percentage  of  the 
grayish  brown  females  which  are  so  desired. 

For  defects  common  to  the  breed,  which  must  be  guarde.' 
against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  266. 

The  Brown  Red  Game 

In  breeding  this  variety,  both  the  single  or  standard 
mating  and  the  double  mating  systems  are  used.  In  the 
single  or  standard  mating,  birds  of  both  sexes  are  selected 
as  breeders  which  approach  the  standard  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible. One  of  the  hardest  things  in  this  variety  is  to  keep  a 
dark  purple  or  "gypsy"-colored  face.  Therefore,  it  is  im- 
portant that  the  breeders  approach  this  color  of  face  as 
nearly  as  possible  and  be  well  away  from  the  red  face.  A 
common  weakness  of  males  is  to  run  to  a  dark  orange  top 
color.  The  top  color  of  males  should  be  a  deep  lemon, 
gradually  shading  to  a  lighter  lemon  as  it  runs  down  on  the 
back  and  saddle,  as  this  produces  the  proper-colored  lacing 
of  the  breast  feathers  in  both  sexes.  There  is  a  tendency 
for  the  back  of  males  and  females  to  be  laced.  This  section 
should  be  solid  lemon  in  males  and  black  in  females.  There 
is  also  some  tendency  for  the  lacing  on  breast  in  both  sexes 
to  be  too  heavy  and  to  extend  down  the  thighs  to  the  shanks. 
This  is  undesirable,  as  a  neat,  distinct  lacing,  not  too  heavy, 
is  desired,  and  the  thighs  should  be  black.  The  lemon  color 
should  run  clear  over  the  top  of  the  head  in  both  sexes,  as 
there  is  a  tendency  for  the  top  of  heads  to  be  black.  Shaft- 
ing in  the  body  plumage,  and  in  particular  in  the  laced 
feathers  of  the  breast,  is  not  uncommon.  This  is  undesir- 
able, as  both  the  shaft  and  the  centers  of  these  feathers 
should  be  black  and  distinct  from  the  lemon  lacing. 

Where  the  double  mating  system  is  employed,  the  matings 
are  as  follows : 


THE    GAME    AND    GAME    BANTAM    CLASS  269 

Cockerel  mating. — Use  a  standard-colored  male,  showing 
the  rich  lemon  top  color.  To  him  mate  females  which  show 
a  tendency  to  lemon  lacing  over  the  shoulders  and  back. 
Such  a  female  is,  of  course,  not  standard,  as  a  show  speci- 
men should  have  lacing  only  on  the  breast,  the  back,  body 
and  stern  being  black. 

Pullet  mating. — To  secure  a  good  percentage  of  standard- 
colored  females,  the  standard  mating  just  described  is  used 
where  both  the  male  and  the  females  in  the  mating  are  as 
near  standard  as  possible.  While  some  standard  males  will 
also  be  obtained  from  this  mating,  a  larger  percentage  will 
be  secured  from  the  cockerel  mating  described. 

In  breeding  the  Brown  Reds,  a  small  percentage  in  both 
sexes  come  white,  with  blue  legs.  These  are  generally  re- 
garded as  sports  and  as  a  rule  are  discarded  as  breeders. 

In  mating,  guard  against  the  following  defects,  in  so  far 
as  possible,  in  adition  to  the  defects  common  to  the  breed 
(see  page  266)  :  lacing  on  back  of  male ;  lacing  on  back  of 
female ;  too  heavy  lacing  on  breast  of  both  sexes,  extending 
down  the  thigh  to  shank  ;  black  caps  on  heads  in  both  sexes  ; 
shafting;  red  face;  and  too  dark  a  top  color  in  males, 
approaching  dark  orange. 

The  Golden  Duckvi^ing  Game 

In  this  variety  a  good  rich  golden  color  is  desired  on  wing 
bows,  hackle,  back  and  saddle  of  males.  This  color  is  diffi- 
cult to  maintain  and  the  principal  problem  in  breeding  lies  in 
keeping  up  the  golden  color.  The  usual  method  of  mating 
is  to  use  a  standard  male  and  standard  females.  Be  sure 
that  the  male  is  free  from  black  striping  in  hackle  and  saddle 
and  that  the  breast  is  free  from  white  ticking  and  the  fluff 
from  frosting.  This  ticking  is  apt  to  appear  or  increase 
with  age,  and  is  more  serious  from  a  breeding  standpoint  in 
young  than  in  old  males.  Also  avoid  any  rusty  or  bricky 
color  on  shoulders  and  wings  of  females.  This  brick  color 
is  often  called  rustiness. 


270  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

From  this  mating  will  be  secured  standard  birds  of  both 
sexes,  but  there  will  also  occur  some  Silver  Duckwing  birds. 
As  this  line  of  breeding  is  continued,  the  golden  color  be- 
comes weaker  and  more  and  more  Silvers  will  be  produced. 
In  order  to  strengthen  the  golden  color  again  it  becomes 
necessary  to  use  some  Black  Red  Game  blood.  Select  a 
standard  Black  Red  male,  with  rather  light  top  color  and 
with  willow  legs.  Mate  him  to  a  very  light-colored  Golden 
Duckwing  hen  or  to  a  Silver  Duckwing  hen.  From  this 
mating  wall  come  good  Golden  Duckwing  specimens  of  both 
sexes,  and  these  can  be  used  to  continue  the  breeding.  As 
the  color  begins  to  fade  again,  repeat  the  infusion  of  Black 
Red  blood. 

In  mating  this  variety,  guard  in  so  far  as  possible  against 
black  striping  in  hackle  and  saddle  of  males ;  white  ticking 
in  breast  of  male ;  frosting  in  fluff  of  male ;  and  brick  color 
in  wing  of  females.  For  defects  common  to  the  breed, 
which  must  also  be  guarded  against,  see  page  266. 

The  Silver  Duckwing  Game 

Birds  of  the  color  of  this  variety  come  from  the  Golden 
Duckwing  matings.  The  Silver  Duckwing  color  will  breed 
true,  a  standard  or  single  mating  being  employed.  In  making 
this  mating,  use  birds  of  both  sexes  which  are  as  near  the 
standard  as  possible,  and  avoid  any  black  striping  in  the 
hackle  or  saddle  of  the  male,  any  white  ticking  in  his  breast 
or  frosting  in  his  fluff,  and  also  any  brick  color  on  wings  or, 
as  sometimes  termed,  rose  wing  of  females.  Care  must  also 
be  exercised  to  see  that  the  white  is  white  and  not  yellow,  as 
there  is  a  tendency  in  this  direction.  For  defects  common 
to  the  breed,  which  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as 
possible,  see  page  266. 

The  Birchen  Game 

The  Birchen  Game  is  practically  identical  with  the  Brown 
Red  variety,  except  that  the  lemon  of  the  latter  is  replaced 


THE   GAME    AND    GAME    BANTAM    CLASS  271 

by  white.  It  is  necessary  to  be  sure  that  the  breeders 
selected  show  a  pure  silvery  white  in  lacing  and  other  white 
sections,  and  that  it  does  not  run  to  a  yellow  tinge.  Other- 
wise the  matings  and  color  considerations  are  the  same  as 
in  the  Brown  Red  variety  (see  page  268),  keeping  in  mind 
always  that  the  lemon  is  replaced  by  white.  For  defects 
common  to  the  breed,  which  must  be  guarded  against  in  so 
far  as  possible,  see  page  266. 

The  Red  Pyle  Game 

The  great  difficulty  in  breeding  this  variety  is  to  keep  up 
the  strength  of  color,  particularly  the  breast  color  of  fe- 
males and  the  color  of  the  secondaries  or  wing  bay  of  males 
There  is  a  tendency  for  the  color  to  run  to  a  light  lemon 
or  even  to  a  white  breast  in  females.     Such  birds  of  light 
coloring  are  often  called  Lemon  Pyles  or  \\^hite  Pyles. 

In  breeding,  a  double  mating  system  is  employed,  to- 
gether with  a  special  mating  from  time  to  time  as  the  color 
tends  to  run  out.  The  regular  double  matings  are  as  follows  • 
Cockerel  mating.— Use  a  standard-colored  male,  espe- 
cially strong  in  coloring  of  the  secondaries  or  the  wing  bay 
The  females  should  have  a  solid  salmon  breast  and  should 
show  some  red  color  on  shoulders  or  sides  of  wings  that  is 
be  rose-winged.  It  is  no  disadvantage  if  the  females  show 
some  red  lacing  down  through  the  back. 

Pullet  mating.— Use  a  male  which  is  a  trifle  lighter  in 
color  than  the  exhibition  male.  He  should  have  a  nearly 
white  hackle,  slightly  striped  with  red.  Use  females  of 
exhibition  color. 

In  order  to  strengthen  the  color,  which  tends  to  become 
too  light,  some  Black  Red  blood  is  introduced  from  time  to 
time.  When  the  Red  Pyle  matings  show  a  tendency  to  weak- 
ness of  color  in  the  wing  ends  of  males,  it  is  an  indication 
that  It  IS  time  to  introduce  the  Black  Red  blood  again  to  keep 
up  the  Red  Pyle  top  color  to  the  wing  ends.  As  to  how  this 
may  best  be  done,  there  is  some  difference  of  opinion  among 


272 


THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


breeders.  One  breeder  advises  as  follows :  Use  a  standard 
Black  Red  male,  which  must  excel  in  the  soundness  of 
sheeny  black  in  the  black  sections,  as  the  blacker  the  bird 


Fig.    91— Well-marked   Red    Pyle   Game   feathers.     M    indicates    male   and    F 

female.     (Photograph   from   the   Bureau  of   Animal   Industry,   United    States 

Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE    GAME    AND    GAME    BANTAM    CLASS  273 

the  whiter  his  offspring.  He  should  have  yellow  legs  if 
possible,  but  it  is  hard  to  find  one  with  yellow  legs  which  is 
good  enough  in  top  color.  Mate  him  to  a  light  breast 
colored  female,  that  is,  a  Lemon  Pyle  female.  The  pullets 
from  this  mating,  with  a  very  few  exceptions,  come  black 
red  in  color,  with  yellow  legs.  Any  of  these  female  offspring 
of  exceptional  merit  are  bred  to  a  Red  Pyle  male  of  standard 
color,  which  has  come  from  a  line  of  Pyles  bred  straight  for 
several  generations.  From  this  mating  will  be  secured  good 
Red  Pyles,  both  male  and  female,  some  of  which  will  have 
willow  legs.  These  can  be  used  to  carry  on  the  Red  Pyle 
matings  until  the  color  again  begins  to  weaken,  when  more 
Black  Red  blood  must  be  introduced. 

Another  breeder  advises  the  following  procedure  in  inject- 
ing Black  Red  blood.  Select  a  willow-legged,  very  light  top- 
colored  Black  Red  male.  ^late  him  with  rather  weak- 
colored  Red  Pyle  females,  approaching  the  White  Pyles,  but 
with  extra  strong,  rich,  dark  yellow  leg  color.  The  reason 
for  the  use  of  such  strong  yellow  legs  in  the  White  Pyle 
females  is  that  the  Black  Red  blood  of  the  male  tends  to 
cause  the  loss  of  the  yellow  leg  color,  since  the  standard 
Black  Red  is  willow-legged,  and  will  throw  a  good  many 
offspring  with  willow  legs.  The  offspring  of  both  sexes 
from  this  mating  tend  to  be  too  strong  in  color,  but  many 
males  are  of  excellent  quality  and  show  the  characteristics 
of  a  good  Red  Pyle  show  bird.  The  males  which  are  the 
cleanest  in  the  white,  and  as  free  from  black  as  possible, 
should  be  bred  to  standard-colored  Red  Pyle  females,  and 
this  mating  will  give  both  sexes  of  standard  color  until  the 
color  begins  to  run  out  again.  However,  it  will  take  several 
years'  breeding  to  get  Red  Pyle  color  of  the  best,  as  the 
Black  Red  blood  tends  to  throw  black  feathers  or  feathers 
speckled  with  black. 

For  defects  common  to  the  breed,  which  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
page  266. 


274  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

The  White  Game 

This  variety  tends  to  be  inferior  in  type  to  the  other 
games,  except  the  Black  variety.  They  often  lack  in  length 
of  head  and  length  of  leg  and  also  lack  in  wedge  shape  of 
body.  They  may  also  lack  in  shortness,  hardness,  and  close- 
ness of  feathers,  and  often  have  far  too  much  hackle  and 
tail.  They  are  often  too  loosely  put  up.  In  breeding,  the 
single  or  standard  mating  only  is  used,  birds  of  both  sexes 
being  selected  as  near  standard  as  possible.  It  must  be 
kept  in  mind  that  the  legs  should  be  yellow,  so  that  both 
white  and  blue  legs  must  be  selected  against.  The  color  of 
plumage  should  be  pure  white  throughout,  and  any  tendency 
toward  brassiness  or  creaminess,  black  ticking  or  any  foreign 
color  must  be  guarded  against.  For  defects  common  to  the 
breed,  which  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible, 
see  page  266. 

The  Black  Game 

This  variety,  like  the  White,  tends  to  be  inferior  in  type 
and  character  of  feathering.  It  frequently  lacks  in  length  of 
head,  length  of  leg  especially,  wedge  shape  of  body  and 
shortness,  hardness  and  closeness  of  feathers.  It  frequently 
has  far  too  much  hackle  and  tail  and  is  too  loosely  put  up. 

In  breeding  this  variety,  the  single  or  standard  mating  is 
employed,  birds  of  both  sexes  being  selected  which  are  as 
near  standard  as  possible.  In  general,  the  same  color  con- 
sideration obtains  here  as  in  any  other  black  variety.  The 
color  should  be  black  throughout,  free  from  any  foreign 
color  and  from  purple  barring.  There  is  a  tendency  toward 
white  ticking  or  lacing  in  hackle,  which  must  be  guarded 
against.  The  under  color  should  be  a  dull  black.  Females 
should  have  a  greenish  sheen  to  the  surface  color,  the  same 
as  the  males.  For  defects  common  to  the  breed,  which  must 
be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  266.. 


THE    GAME    AND    GAME    BANTAM    CLASS  275 

The  Game  Bantam 

Both  in  color  and  in  type,  the  different  varieties  of  the 
Game  Bantam  should  be  identical  with  the  corresponding 
varieties  of  the  large  Game.  The  same  general  principles 
must  be  observed  in  the  matings,  except  as  indicated.  Of 
course  there  is  always  a  tendency  for  these  fowls  to  come 
too  large,  and  small  birds  or  those  not  over  standard  weights 
must  be  selected  as  breeders.  The  care  and  feeding  are  the 
same,  except  that  one  must  be  careful  not  to  overfeed  or  to 
feed  too  liberally  on  bone-forming  material  in  order  to  keep 
down  the  size.  Some  breeders  keep  the  birds  on  about  half 
rations  for  the  same  purpose.  Breeding  must  be  depended 
upon  mainly,  however,  to  keep  down  the  size.  \\^hile  some 
breeders  hatch  late  to  reduce  size,  others  claim  that  it  is 
better  to  hatch  at  the  normal  time,  not  later  than  June,  as 
otherwise  the  proper  reach  and  the  proper  feathering  will 
not  be  secured.  There  is  a  tendency  for  the  feathers  of  the 
tail,  and  for  the  sickle  feathers  especially,  to  come  too  wide. 
These  are  often  one-half  inch  wide,  but  should  be  narrower 
if  possible.  For  a  detailed  description  of  the  type  desired, 
together  with  the  defects  which  must  be  guarded  against  in 
so  far  as  possible,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  material  on 
the  Exhibition  Game  (see  page  266). 

The  Black-Breasted  Red  Game  Bantam 

It  is  customary  to  double  mate  in  this  variety. 

Cockerel  mating.— Use  a  standard  male.  '  Mate  him  to 
females  from  a  cockerel  mating  or  line  which  runs  red  or 
bricky  over  the  shoulders  and  wing  bows.  Occasionally  a 
wheaten-colored  hen,  mated  to  an  exhibition-colored  Black 
Red  male,  wnll  get  fine  exhibition-colored  Black  Red  males. 
Great  care  should  be  used  not  to  introduce  any  of  these 
pullets  into  the  pullet  line,  as  they  will  ruin  the  color. 

Pullet  mating. — Use  a  male  darker  in  color  than  the 
standard.    A  small  amount  of  striping  in  hackle  and  saddle 


276  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

is  not  objectionable  in  this  male.  The  females  used  should 
be  standard. 

In  this  variety,  particularly  guard  against  too  wide  sickle 
feathers  and  bent  hocks. 

The  reader  is  further  referred  to  the  material  on  mating 
the  large  Black-Breasted  Red  Game  (see  page  267),  and  to 
the  material  on  the  Game  Bantam  (see  page  275). 

The  Brown  Red  Game  Bantam 

In  breeding  this  variety,  use  the  single  or  double  mating 
and  proceed  the  same  as  in  the  large  corresponding  variety 
(see  page  268).  Guard  in  so  far  as  possible  against:  too 
much  lacing,  especially  on  the  back  of  females ;  black  head 
or  cap  color  in  females ;  too  long  wings ;  too  long  sickle 
feathers  ;  tail  spread  too  much ;  too  wide  tail  feathers  ;  and 
too  large  and  coarse  birds. 

The  Golden  Duckwing  Game  Bantam 

The  color  of  this  variety  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  large 
Golden  Duckwing,  and  as  in  that  variety  a  standard  mating 
is  used  until,  by  the  occurrence  of  an  unusual  number  of 
Silver  Duckwing-colored  specimens,  it  is  evident  that  the 
color  is  getting  weak.  It  is  then  time  to  introduce  some 
Back  Red  blood.  This  can  be  done  by  breeding  a  Silver 
Duckwing  male  from  the  Golden  Duckwing  matings  to  a 
Black  Red  hen.  This  will  produce  good  cockerels,  which 
can  be  bred  into  the  Golden  Duckwing  matings  and  will 
serve  to  strengthen  the  color.  Further  information  on 
breeding  for  Golden  Duckwing  color  will  be  found  on 
page  269. 

In  breeding  this  variety,  guard  against  the  following,  in 
so  far  as  possible :  black  striping  in  hackle  of  male ;  rusty 
color  across  lower  part  of  shoulders  and  bricky  color  in 
wings  of  females ;  too  wide  tails ;  too  wide  tail  feathers ; 
ticking  of  white  in  breast  of  males,  which  is  more  prevalent 
with  age. 


THE    GAME    AND    GAME    BANTAM    CLASS  277 

The  Silver  Duckwing  Game  Bantam 

This  variety  corresponds  exactly  with  the  large  Silver 
Duckwing  and  is  bred  from  a  single  mating  in  the  same 
way  (see  page  270).  The  Silver  Duckwing  Bantams  breed 
true  and  better  than  do  the  Golden,  but  the  same  general 
defects  must  be  guarded  against,  in  so  far  as  possible,  as  in 
the  Golden  Duckwing  Game  Bantams  (see  page  276). 

The  Birchen  Game  Bantam 

As  in  the  larger  varieties,  the  Birchen  is  the  same  as  the 
Brown  Red,  except  that  the  lemon  is  replaced  by  white.  In 
breeding,  the  single  or  standard  mating  is  employed,  and 
exactly  the  same  things  must  be  taken  into  consideration  as 
in  the  Brown  Red  variety  (see  page  268).  The  same  things 
must  also  be  guarded  against  as  in  the  Brown  Red  Bantam 
(see  page  276). 

The  Red  Pyle  Game  Bantam 

This  variety,  like  the  large  Red  Pyle,  tends  to  run  weak 
in  color  after  being  bred  for  a  while,  that  is,  the  female  will 
come  white  in  breast  and  the  males  will  lose  their  color  in 
the  wing  bay.  To  keep  up  and  renew  the  color,  breed  in  a 
yellow-legged  Black  Red  male.  The  breeding  is  usually  car- 
ried on  by  double  mating.  The  regular  mating  and  the 
special  mating  to  introduce  the  Black  Red  blood  is  identical 
with  those  of  the  large  variety  (see  page  271).  Sometimes, 
however,  a  yellow-legged  Black  Red  female  is  bred  to  a 
light  top-colored  Red  Pyle  male  for  the  reason  that  it  is 
easier  to  get  females  than  males  with  yellow  legs  in  the 
Black  Red  Bantams.  From  this  mating  often  come  willow- 
legged  Red  Pyle  females.  This  is  just  the  opposite  of  the 
mating  used  in  the  large  Red  Pyle  Game,  and  is  used  simply 
as  a  matter  of  convenience. 

In  breeding  this  variety,  guard  against  the  following 
defects  in  so  far  as  possible :    weak-colored  wing  bay  in 


278  THE    MATING   AND   BREEDING   OF   POULTRY 


males;  too  light  breast  color  in  females;  buckled  hocks 
too  heavy-colored  females,  unless  these  are  used  in  a  cock- 
erel mating,  where  they  will  produce  good  males. 


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Fig.   92— Well-marked    Birchen   Game    Bantam   feathers.     M   indicates  mal* 

and  P  female.     (Photograph   from   the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,   United 

States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE    GAME    AND    GAME    BANTAM    CLASS  279 

The  White  Game  Bantam 

In  this  variety  also,  the  breeding  practice  is  identical  with 
that  of  the  large  corresponding  variety  (see  page  274). 
The  following  defects  must  be  guarded  against  in  so  far  as 
possible :  brassiness  in  males  and  white  or  blue  legs. 

While  this  variety  formerly  tended  to  be  inferior  in  type, 
great  improvement  has  been  made  in  this  respect,  until  now 
they  are  nearly,  if  not  quite  as  good  in  type,  as  the  other 
varieties. 

The  Black  Game  Bantam 

This  variety  is  bred  in  the  same  manner  as  the  large 
variety.  (See  page  274.)  In  breeding,  guard  against  the 
following  defects  in  so  far  as  possible :  too  wide  feathers ; 
purple  barring ;  white  lacing  in  hackle  ;  too  short  legs  ;  too 
much  spread  to  tail  and  too  long  wings. 


CHAPTER  Xin 
THE  ORIENTAL  CLASS 


The  Black  Sumatra 

In  type,  this  fowl  is  a  medium-sized  bird  of  graceful  shape 

and  with  a  very  long,  low-carried  tail  which  is  abundantly 
furnished  with  sickles  and  coverts.  See  Fig.  93.  In  color, 
it  is  black,  showing  in  both  sexes  a  very  high  greenish  sheen. 

In  making  the 
mating  for  this 
breed,  it  is  most 
common  to  use 
the  single  or 
standard  mating, 
selecting  birds 
of  both  sexes 
which  approach 
as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible to  the 
standard  re- 

quirements. The 
male  in  this 
mating  should 
be  a  highly  col- 
ored, bottle 
green  bird, 
while  the  fe- 
males  used 
order  to  get  the 
double  mating  is 


Fig.   93 — Back   Sumatra  male  showing  long,  well-fur- 
nished   and    low-carried    tail.      (Photograph    from    the 
Bureau    of    Animal    Industry,    United    States    Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture.) 


should  have  a  medium  green  sheen.     In 
highest  sheen  in  both  males  and  females,  a 
sometimes  resorted  to.    To  secure  high-colored  males,  use  a 
standard  or  exhibition-colored  male  with  real  dull-colored 

280 


THE   ORIENTAL    CLASS  281 

females.  To  secure  high-colored  females,  use  a  high- 
colored  male,  which  may  show  a  little  straw  color  in  hackle 
and  possibly  in  saddle,  with  high-colored  bottle  green 
females. 

The  Black-Breasted  Red  Malay 

This  breed  is  different  in  type  from  any  other  of  the 
standard  breeds.  A  very  high  station  or  reach  is  desired, 
and  birds  of  both  sexes  should  be  selected  which  are  fully 
up  to  or  a  little  greater  than  standard  in  height,  as  there  is 
a  decided  tendency  for  them  to  be  too  low.  They  should  be 
decidedly  higher  than  the  Cornish.  It  is  very  important  to 
have  big,  long  bones  and  a  good  muscular  development. 
The  back  should  be  broad  and  should  slope  from  shoulders 
to  tail  to  a  marked  degree.  Avoid  flat,  level  backs.  The 
tail  should  be  carried  low.  in  fact,  it  should  be  inclined  to 
droop  and  should  just  about  carry  out  the  incline  of  the 
back.  The  tail  should  be  short  and  should  be  well  folded 
together.  Avoid  any  tendency  toward  high  tail.  The  head 
should  be  broad,  with  the  crown  or  skull  projecting  well 
over  the  eyes.  Avoid  birds  for  breeding  which  are  too  nar- 
row and  too  long  in  head.  The  hackle  should  be  as  short 
and  scanty  as  possible,  and  it  is  necessary  to  guard  against 
a  hackle  which  inclines  to  be  too  long  and  lacks  trimness, 
that  is,  which  is  not  neat  in  males.  The  legs  should  be  set 
wide  apart,  and  any  tendency  toward  narrow-set  legs  or 
toward  knock-kneed  or  cow-hocked  legs  must  be  avoided. 
As  stated  before,  the  bone  of  the  leg  should  be  coarse  and 
heavy.  There  is  a  tendency  for  this  breed  to  grow  weak  in 
hocks,  the  joints  becoming  flat  and  deformed  if  the  birds 
are  grown  too  fast.  This  breed  should  show  an  arched 
back,  that  is,  it  should  show  a  convex  curve  from  shoulder 
to  base  of  tail  as  viewed  from  the  side,  and  should  not  be 
flat  or  straight.  This  breed  should  show  a  distinct  gullet, 
and  it  is  necessary  to  select  against  birds  which  do  not  have 


282  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

this.  The  eye  should  be  light  or  pearl  in  color,  and  as  there 
is  a  tendency  for  the  eye  to  come  darker,  birds  with  such 
dark  eyes  must  be  avoided.  The  comb  desired  is  a  straw- 
berry or  knob  comb,  but  there  is  a  tendency  for  the  birds  to 
show  pea  comb  instead.  A  bird  showing  this  character 
should  not  be  used  in  breeding.  It  is  necessary  to  be  par- 
ticular to  keep  the  type  of  this  breed  distinct  from  that  of 
the  Cornish,  to  wdiich  it  is  somewhat  inclined  to  run,  due  to 
a  trace  of  Cornish  blood  in  many  strains. 

In  the  male  there  is  a  tendency  to  get  away  from  the 
reddish  maroon  color  and  to  approach  the  light  top  coloring 
of  the  Black  Reds.  Avoid  this  and  select  for  birds  more  on 
the  cinnamon  red.  Avoid  white  in  the  under  color  of  breast, 
body  and  fluff  of  males.  Occasionally  there  will  be  some 
white  in  the  under  color  of  hackle  and  saddle  of  the  male 
and  in  the  under  color  of  thighs.  This,  of  course,  must  be 
avoided.  There  is  also  a  tendency  to  show  some  red  lacing 
in  the  breast  and  red  frosting  in  the  body,  stern  and  legs  of 
males.  Breed  from  a  male  which  approaches  the  standard 
in  color  as  closely  as  possible,  unless  the  females  show  a 
decided  tendency  to  come  too  light  in  color,  in  which  case 
breed  from  as  dark  a  male  as  can  be  obtained.  In  the  female 
there  is  a  general  tendency  to  come  too  light  all  over.  The 
female  top  color  is  apt  to  approach  wheaten  color  or  to  be 
too  light  a  shade,  while  the  breast  may  tend  toward  a  salmon 
and  the  under  color  may  run  too  light.  With  age  hens  tend 
to  grow  lighter  in  color,  but  if  they  were  good  in  color  as 
pullets  they  may  be  valuable  as  breeders. 

The  following  is  a  brief  resume  of  the  defects  which  must 
be  guarded  against,  in  so  far  as  possible,  in  making  the 
mating :  too  low  station ;  too  light  and  too  short  in  bone ; 
insufficient  muscular  development ;  flat,  level  backs ;  too 
high,  too  long,  or  too  well  spread  tail;  too  narrow  and  too, 
long  head  ;  hackle  in  males  too  long  and  lacking  in  trimness  ; 
narrow-set  legs  ;  cow-hocked  legs  ;  knock-knees;  weak,  flat 
and   deformed  hocks ;    flat    or   straight   back,    showing   no 


THE   ORIENTAL   CLASS 


283 


arch;  lack  of  gullet;  too  dark  eyes;  pea  comb;  type  like 
.he  Cornish;  too  hght  top  color  in  males;  white  in  under 
CO  or  of  breast,  body  and  fluff  of  males;  white  in  under 
color  of  hackle,  saddle  or  thighs  of  males;    red  lacing  in 


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284  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

breast  of  males ;  red  frosting  in  body,  stern  and  legs  of 
males ;  too  light  top  color  in  females ;  salmon  breast  in 
females ;   too  light  under  color  in  females. 

The  Black-Breasted  Red  Malay  Bantam 

This  breed  should  be  an  exact  counterpart  of  the  large 
Black-Breasted  Red  Malay,  the  only  difiference  being  that  of 
size.  In  color  and  in  type  exactly  the  same  considerations 
(see  page  281)  must  be  observed  in  making  the  mating. 


;4/r^  ^"^^^^^ 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  ORNAMENTAL  BANTAM  CLASS 

The  Sebright  Bantam 

The  Sebright  Bantam  is  perhaps  the  most  exquisite  of 
the  standard  varieties  of  chickens.  It  is  of  very  small 
size,  but  perfectly  formed  and  is  extremely  neat  and 
dainty  in  appearance.  It  is  also  very  sprightly.  In  the 
character  of  feathering  and  of  coloring  the  two  sexes  are 
identical,  the  males  being  hen-feathered.  The  males  are 
distinguished  from  the  females  by  their  slightly  larger 
size,  and  the  fact  that  they  are  somewhat  coarser,  par- 
ticularly in  the  head  and  comb.  This  breed  possesses  a 
lacing  in  all  the  feathers  of  the  plumage  which  is  prob- 
ably the  most  perfect  lacing  to  be  found  in  any  breed. 

In  type,  the  birds  are  rather  upstanding,  with  full, 
prominent  breast,  wings  carried  low,  and  tail  well  spread 
and  carried  high.  This  high  carriage  of  tail  gives  the 
back  the  appearance  of  being  short.  The  legs  are  rather 
short,  and  any  tendency  toward  too  much  length  of  leg 
must  be  avoided. 

The  comb  is  rose,  and  should  be  rather  broad  in  front 
and  comparatively  low  and  compact,  with  a  well-de- 
veloped spike,  which  tilts  up  slightly  at  the  rear.  Too 
liigh  combs  should  be  avoided,  as  where  these  are  found 
there  is  a  slight  tendency  for  them  to  lop  over  on  the  side 
of  the  head.  Combs  should  also  be  avoided  in  which  the 
leader  or  spike  is  absent,  as  this  is  somewhat  of  a  trouble- 
some tendency  in  the  comb  of  this  breed.  The  comb 
should  also  be  well  filled  out  in  the  center,  and  should 
show  no  hollow  at  this  point.  The  male  comb  in  general 
seems  to  fill  in  very  well,  but  the  female  comb  is  more 


286  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

inclined  toward  hollows  in  the  center.  Narrow  combs 
are  undesirable. 

The  hen-feathered  males  which  usually  are  obtained  in 
this  breed  are  likely  to  give  a  very  low  percentage  of 
fertile  eggs.  For  this  reason,  it  is  well  to  mate  only  a 
small  number  of  females  to  a  male — about  four.  It  als(^ 
seems  best  to  breed  cockerels  to  hens  rather  than  to  use 
older  males.  A  considerable  percentage  of  the  hen- 
feathered  males  will  not  fertilize  eggs,  and  for  this  reason 
it  is  better  to  breed  from  males  which  have  short  sickles 
protruding  above  the  main  tail  feathers  at  least  one  inch. 

The  following  common  defects  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible  in  the  matings  of  this  breed : 
absence  of  leader  or  spike  on  comb  ;  too  high  comb,  which 
may  occasionally  lop  over  on  side  of  head ;  hollow  in 
center  of  comb,  especially  in  females ;  narrow  comb ;  too 
much  length  of  leg. 

The  Golden  Sebright  Bantam 

The  color  pattern  of  the  Golden  Sebright  Bantam  is 
the  same  as  that  of  the  Silver  Sebright  Bantam  except 
that  the  ground  color  of  the  silver  is  replaced  by  golden. 
Tn  making  the  mating,  the  same  considerations  in  general 
hold  true  (see  page  287).  Golden  Sebrights  do  not,  how- 
ever, show  frostiness  quite  so  much  as  the  Silvers.  The 
Goldens,  which  are  darker  in  ground  color  than  standard, 
are  apt  to  be  too  heavily  laced.  It  is  also  necessary  in 
this  variety  to  guard  against  an}^  color  which  may  range 
from  light  to  white  in  the  main  wing  and  tail  feathers,  or 
any  white  in  the  quills  of  the  primary  feathers  extending 
over  one-half  the  length  of  the  feather.  Birds  having 
this  excessive  amount  of  white  in  the  quills  have  a  tend- 
ency to  produce  chicks  which  show  considerable  white 
in  the  wing  and  tail,  the  wing  especiall}^ 


THE    ORNAMENTAL    BANTAM    CLASS  287 

In  making  the  mating  for  this  variety,  it  is  necessary 
to  guard  against  the  following  defects  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible, in  addition  to  those  which  are  common  to  the 
breed  (page  285):  frosty  lacing,  especially  on  breast; 
peppering  or  smut  in  tail;  uneven  lacing;  lacing  lacking 
under  throat  and  on  head;  too  heavy  lacing;  peppering 
on  wing;  light  or  white  in  main  wing  or  tail  feathers. 

The  Silver  Sebright  Bantam 

While  the  lacing  in  both  the  Silver  and  Golden  Se- 
bright is  perhaps  the  most  perfect  of  any  breed,  still 
there  is  a  tendency  for  the  lacing  to  be  too  wide  or 
heavy.  There  is  also  a  tendency  for  the  lacing  to  be 
wider  at  the  tip  than  at  the  sides  of  the  feather.  In 
mating  this  variety,  use  a  single  or  standard  mating  in 
which  the  lacing  throughout  in  both  sexes  is  narrow  and 
as  clearly  defined  as  possible,  and  even  in  the  different 
sections.  The  lacing  should  be  as  free  as  possible  from 
any  frostiness,  this  frosty  lacing  being  most  likely  to 
show  on  the  breast.  Frosty  lacing  is  a  very  bad  fault, 
and  must  be  carefully  avoided.  Another  important  point 
is  to  be  sure  that  the  lacing  is  even  over  the  entire  bird. 
Birds  which  show  good  lacing  on  the  breast  are  likely 
to  prove  good  breeders,  for  this  is  one  of  the  most  dif- 
ficult sections  to  secure  good  lacing.  Birds  which  lack 
the  lacing  under  the  throat  and  on  the  head  should  not 
be  used  for  breeding.  Frostiness  appears  more  com- 
monly on  the  breast  than  on  any  other  section.  The 
narrower  laced  the  birds  are,  the  greater  is  the  tendency 
for  the  tails  and  wings  "to  come  free  from  smut  or  black. 
Select  birds  which  are  as  free  as  possible  from  black  pep- 
pering in  the  main  wing  and  tail  feathers.  This  pepper- 
ing is  especially  troublesome  in  the  wing.  Any  dark  or 
nearly  black  color  should  be  avoided  in  the  wing  and 
tail.     Most  birds  have  some  of  this,  as  birds  entirely  free 


288  THE    MATING  AND   BREEDING   OF   POULTRY 


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Fig.    95 — Well-marked    Silver    Seby*ght   Bantam   feathers.     M    indicates   male 

and  F  female.      (Photograph   from   the   Bureau   of   Animal   Industry,   United 

States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE    ORxXAMENTAL    BANTAM    CLASS  289 

from  it  are  very  rare.  W^here  it  is  necessary  to  use  fe- 
males which  arc  too  heavily  laced,  it  is  best  to  use  a 
light-laced  male,  as  such  a  mating  is  most  likely  to  get 
the  proper  lacing.  The  reverse  of  this  mating  also 
holds  true. 

In  making  the  mating  in  this  variety,  it  is  important 
to  guard  against  the  following  defects  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible, in  addition  to  those  which  are  common  to  the  breed 
(page  285):  frosty  lacing,  especially  in  breast;  pepper- 
mg  or  smut  in  tail;  uneven  lacing;  lacing  lacking  under 
throat  and  on  head ;  peppering  on  wdng;  too  heavy  lacing. 

The  Rose  Comb  Bantam 

The  Rose  Comb  Bantam  is  a  very  beautifully  molded 
little  bird,  and  in  type  should  be  practically  a  miniature 
of  the  Hamburg,  except  that  the  tails  and  the  wings  are 
considerably  larger  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  bird, 
and  that  the  wings  are  carried  low.  The  tails  are  also 
carried  low,  and  any  tendency  toward  high  tail  in  either 
sex  should  be  avoided. 
^  The  comb  of  the  Rose  Comb  Bantam  should  be  of  fair 
size,  so  as  to  be  in  proportion  to  the  bird.  Anv  tendency 
toward  too  small  a  comb,  especially  in  the  female,  must 
be  avoided.  In  shape,  the  comb  is  a  little  more  rounded 
than  the  Sebright  comb,  being  just  about  like  the  Ham- 
burg. The  spike  inclines  upward  slightly  and  should 
never  show  any  tendency  to  follow  the' neck.  Some 
combs  give  the  appearance  of  being  hollowed  out  on  the 
top  m  front.  Really,  however,  this  is  more  the  result  of 
the  outer  edges  of  the  comb  being  too  high  rather  than 
the  center  being  hollowed  out. 

The  ear  lobe  should  be  large,  white  and  rounded,  and 
should  show^  no  tendency  to  be  hollowed  out  or  to  be 
concave  in  character.  This  is  especially  likely  to  occur 
m  the  males.     Hollowed-out  lobes  have  a  tendency  to 


290  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

show  red  around  the  bottom.  The  lobe  should  be  full 
and  smooth. 

The  face  should  be  a  bright  red  in  color.  In  the  males 
there  is  some  tendency  toward  white  in  face,  but  this  is 
more  likely  to  develop  with  age,  and  does  not  occur  so 
frequently  in  young  birds.  It  is  a  more  serious  fault  in 
young  birds  than  where  it  develops  with  age  in  the  older 
birds.  There  is  also  some  tendency  for  the  face  to  come 
gypsy  colored,  in  the  female  especially.  Matings  are 
sometimes  made  in  which  g}'psy-faced  females  are  used 
in  order  to  get  rid  of  any  tendency  toward  w^hite  in  face. 

There  is  also  somewhat  of  a  tendency  for  the  males  to 
show  narrow  sickle  feathers.  It  is  necessary  to  select 
birds  which  have  good  width  of  sickle  feathers  and  tail 
coverts. 

In  selecting  the  matings  in  this  breed,  it  is  necessary 
to  guard  against  the  following  defects  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible :  too  high  tail ;  too  small  comb,  especially  in  the 
female  ;  spike  following  the  neck  or  not  inclining  upward ; 
combs  hollowed  out  on  top;  outer  edges  of  comb  too 
high ;  hollowed  or  concave  ear  lobe ;  red  in  ear  lobe ; 
white  in  face ;  gypsy  colored  face,  especially  in  females ; 
too  narrow  sickle  feathers  in  males. 

The  Rose  Comb  White  Bantam 

In  this  variety  a  single  or  standard  mating  is  em- 
ploved.  The  color  of  the  breeders  should  be  a  pure 
white  throughout,  and  should  be  free  from  any  tendency 
toward  brassiness,  especially  in  the  plumage  of  the  male. 
Considerable  black  ticking  is  apt  to  occur  in  the  white 
plumage,  and  this  is  more  prominent  in  the  tail  and 
flight  feathers.  This,  of  course,  must  be  guarded  against. 
Birds  sometimes  have  blue  instead  of  white  legs,  and 
these  should  not  be  used  in  breeding  if  it  can  be  avoided. 
For  defects  common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  289. 


THE   ORNAMENTAL    BANTAM    CLASS  291 

The  Rose  Comb  Black  Bantam 

This  variety  is  generally  considered  to  be  a  trifle  more 
hardy  than  the  Rose  Comb  White  Bantam.  In  making 
a  mating,  it  is  usual  to  mate  a  standard  male  and  female. 
Some  breeders  advocate  putting  in  a  few  larger  comb 
females  in  the  matings,  so  as  to  offset  any  tendency  for 
the  female  to  come  with  too  small  a  comb. 

The  color  should  be  a  beautiful,  lustrous,  greenish 
black  throughout  the  surface  of  both  sexes.  It  is  quite 
a  common  practice  to  use  a  high-colored  male  with  dull 
colored  females,  or  vice  versa,  to  get  this  green  sheen  and 
to  get  rid  of  purple.  Males  are  also  obtained  occasionally 
which  show  some  straw  color  in  their  hackle.  This 
occurs  as  a  dark  stripe  in  the  hackle  feathers  edged  with 
straw  color.  These  males  mated  to  high-colored  females 
which  are  as  near  beetle  green  as  possible  will  give  high- 
colored  females.  In  the  Black  Rose  Comb  Bantam 
purple  in  the  plumage,  both  as  a  tinge  and  as  a  barring, 
is  quite  troublesome,  and  it  is  necessary  to  select  against 
this  in  the  mating.  There  is  also  a  slight  tendency  in 
this  variety  toward  gray  eyes.  Another  very  bad  defect 
and  one  which  must  be  carefully  guarded  against  is  to 
see  that  the  breeders  of  both  sexes  show  no  gray  in  the 
wing  feathers. 

In  making  the  mating  for  this  variety,  it  is  necessary 
to  guard  against  the  following  defects  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible, in  addition  to  those  which  are  common  to  the 
breed  (page  289):  purple  tinge  or  purple  barring;  straw 
in  hackle  of  males,  except  for  special  matings;  gray 
eyes;  gray  in  wings. 

The  Booted  White  Bantam 

This  breed  should  be  well  up  on  its  legs,  with  a  back 
which  is  short,  but  not  extremely  so.     The  tail  should  be 


292  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

well  Spread  and  carried  moderately  high.  There  should 
be  no  angle  between  the  tail  and  the  back,  these  two  sec- 
tions joining  smoothly  with  a  nice  curve.  It  should  be 
heavily  booted  or  feathered  on  the  shanks  and  on  the 
outer  and  middle  toes.  It  is  especially  important  to  guard 
against  birds  which  have  a  bare  middle  toe.  The  birds 
should  have  a  vulture  hock.  It  will  be  seen  that  with 
reference  to  the  bird  being  well  up  on  legs  and  possess- 
ing stiff  vulture  hocks,  it  is  in  these  respects  just  the  re- 
verse of  the  Cochin.  The  comb,  which  is  single,  should 
be  of  medium  size,  and  it  is  necessary  to  guard  against 
too  large  combs,  which  are  most  likely  to  be  found  on 
males.  The  color  of  plumage  should  be  a  pure  white 
throughout,  and  the  color  defects  to  be  guarded  against 
are  brassiness  and  dark  or  black  ticking. 

The  Brahma  Bantam 

The  Brahma  Bantam  in  type  should  be  as  neatly  as 
possible  an  exact  miniature  of  the  full  size  Brahma.  There 
is  a  decided  tendency  for  the  Brahma  Bantams  to  run  too 
large  in  size,  and  it  is  necessary  to  select  carefully  against 
the  larger  birds  to  offset  this  tendency.  There  is  also 
a  considerable  tendency  for  the  males,  in  particular,  to 
have  vulture  hocks.  This  must,  of  course,  be  guarded 
against,  for  while  it  does  not  constitute  a  disqualification, 
it  is  a  grave  defect.  The  comb  should  be  a  typical  pea, 
but  there  is  a  considerable  tendency  for  the  middle  blade 
of  this  comb  to  be  too  high.  As  in  the  regulation  Brahma, 
the  middle,  as  well  as  the  outer,  toe  should  be  feathered, 
and  any  tendency  toward  a  bare  middle  toe  must  be  se- 
lected against.  For  further  information  as  to  the  de- 
sired type  and  defects  which  must  be  guarded  against  in 
so  far  as  possible,  see  the  material  under  the  Brahma, 
page  131. 


THE    ORNAMENTAL    BANTAM    CLASS  293 

The  Light  Brahma  Bantam 

In  breeding  this  variety,  both  the  single  or  standard 
mating  and  double  mating  systems  are  used.  In  general, 
the  same  matings  are  made  in  this  variety  as  are  made 
in  the  corresponding  variety  of  the  regulation  Brahma 
(page  134).  For  information  on  the  double  matings  used, 
see  the  material  on  the  Columbian  Wyandotte,  page  114. 

It  is  necessary  to  guard  against  brassiness  in  the  white 
of  the  male  plumage.  There  is  also  a  tendency  for  the 
under  color  of  hackle  to  run  too  light  in  both  sexes.  Birds 
which  possess  this  light  under  color  in  hackle  are  apt  to 
lack  the  lustrous  black  in  hackle,  and  to  have  white 
shafts  to  the  feathers,  causing  a  gray  appearing  hackle. 
Many  females  show  too  much  black  ticking  in  back.  This 
is  likely  to  be  associated  with  too  dark  an  under  color  of 
back.  In  general,  the  birds  of  this  variety  show  good 
black  wings,  but  many  of  the  birds  which  are  good  in  the 
black  of  wings  are  apt  to  show  ticking  in  the  back.  For 
defects  common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  292. 

The  Dark  Brahma  Bantam 

It  is  u,:ual  in  mating  this  variety  to  resort  to  the  double 
mating  system.  In  general,  the  same  matings  are  made 
in  this  variety  as  are  made  in  the  corresponding  variety 
of  the  regulation  Brahma  (page  140). 

The  principal  color  defects  w^hich  must  be  guarded 
against  are  brown  in  the  lower  edge  of  the  wing-bow  of 
males  and  females,  which  run  stippled  over  the  back. 
This  back  stippling  of  females  is  a  serious  defect,  which 
is  especially  likely  to  occur  in  the  Dark  Brahma  Bantam. 
For  defects  common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  292. 


294       THE  MATING  AND  BREEDING  OF  POULTRY 

The  Cochin  Bantam 

The  Cochin  Bantam  should  be  in  type  an  exact  dupli- 
cate of  the  large  Cochin  (page  146),  but,  of  course,  small 
in  size.  There  is  a  decided  tendency  for  all  varieties  of 
the  Cochin  Bantams  to  come  too  large  in  size.  The 
Buffs  have  probably  been  bred  so  that  they  run  more 
uniformly  small  in  size  than  the  other  varieties.  There 
is  also  a  tendency  for  all  the  varieties  to  be  too  high  on 
legs,  especially  in  males,  and  this  must  be  guarded 
against.  The  comb,  which  is  single,  should  be  medium 
in  size,  and  should  be  strongly  erect.  All  the  varieties, 
however,  have  a  tendency  to  run  too  large  in  comb,  the 
Buffs  and  Blacks  being  the  worst  in  this  respect.  With 
a  large  comb,  which  is  apt  to  occur,  there  is  likewise  a 
tendency  toward  lopped  combs.  It  is  well  to  select  birds 
which  have  a  small  comb  and  in  which  the  combs  are 
relatively  thick  at  the  base  and  are  strong,  that  is,  not 
too  thin.  Be  sure  to  select  the  loosely  feathered  birds 
for  breeders,  as  there  is  somewhat  of  a  tendency  for  the 
birds  to  be  short  and  close-feathered.  The  White  va- 
riety is  the  worst  in  this  respect. 

As  in  the  large  Cochins,  there  is  a  considerable  tend- 
ency for  the  birds  to  have  vulture  hocks,  and  since  this 
is  a  serious  defect,  it  must  be  carefully  selected  against. 
The  White  variety,  perhaps,  shows  the  worst  tendency 
in  this  respect,  while  the  Buft"  is  the  least  likely  to  show 
vulture  hocks. 

In  selecting  the  matings  for  this  breed,  it  is  necessary 
to  guard  against  the  following  defects  in  so  far  as  pos- 
sible .  ::oo  short  or  too  close  feathered ;  too  high  on  legs, 
especially  males ;  too  large  comb ;  lopped  comb ;  vulture 
hocks;  too  large  in  size. 

The  Buff  Cochin  Bantam 

In  selecting  the  mating  for  this  variety,  both  the  single 
or  standard  and  the  double  mating  systems  may  be  used. 


THE    ORNAMENTAL    BANTAM    CLASS  295 

In  the  single  mating,  use  the  male  which  has  an  even 
color  all  over;  use  good,  golden  buff  females.  If  pullets 
are  used  they  must  be  standard  in  color,  but  if  hens  are 
used  they  may  be  one  shade  lighter,  but  should  by  no 
means  be  a  washy,  pale  buff".  Eliminate  any  males  from 
the  breeding  pen  which  show  a  red  or  which  run  to  a 
lemon ;  also  guard  against  males  which  show  a  stronger 
colored  wing  bar.  In  under  color,  the  shaft  of  the 
feathers  must  be  buff  to  the  skin ;  while  a  buff"  in  the  rest 
of  the  feather  is  desired,  it  is  not  so  important  as  that  the 
shaft  be  buff'.  The  light  shaft  will  show  in  the  surface 
of  the  female  backs  and  will  produce  shafted  females. 
One  of  the  greatest  defects  to  guard  against  is  white  in 
the  wings  of  the  males.  Be  sure  that  all  the  females  in 
the  breeding  pen  have  strong  wing  color. 

Where  the  double  mating  is  used,  select  as  follows : 

Cockerel  mating. — Use  the  standard  male  or  one  which 
tends  to  be  a  trifle  lighter  in  color  than  the  standard,  as 
there  is  a  tendency  for  the  males  to  run  too  dark.  The 
females  selected  should  run  a  trifle  lighter  than  the  male 
bird's  breast,  but  must  have  strong  color  of  tail,  wings 
and  legs. 

Pullet  mating. — Use  a  rich-colored  male  which  is  a 
little  darker  than  standard.  Some  breeders  recommend 
a  male  in  this  mating  which  shows  a  trifle  heavier  color 
in  the  shoulders  than  the  standard,  but  the  shoulders 
should  be  without  any  sign  of  red  tinge.  Use  good, 
golden  buff  females  whose  surface  color  or  ground  color 
should  match  the  male  bird's  breast. 

In  making  any  of  these  matings,  it  is  necessary  in  so 
far  as  possible  to  guard  against  a  wing-bow  which  is 
darker  than  the  breast,  especially  in  the  male ;  unevenness 
in  surface  color;  white  in  wings  and  tail,  or  dark  in  tail ; 
white  in  under  color  (birds  showing  white  under  color 
sometimes  have  white  in  wings)  ;  a  tendency  for  saddle 
and  tail  coverts  to  be  laced  with  white,  but  good  color 


296  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

otherwise ;  eyes  which  are  lighter  than  the  reddish  bay 
called  for  by  the  standard.  Additional  and  more  detailed 
information  on  breeding  for  buff  color  will  be  found 
under  the  Buff  Plymouth  Rock,  page  89.  For  defects 
common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  guarded  against  in 
so  far  as  possible,  see  page  294. 

The  Partridge  Cochin  Bantam 

In  selecting  the  matings  for  this  variety,  it  is  usual  to 
employ  the  double  mating  system.  The  general  consid- 
erations in  selecting  these  matings  are  exactly  the  same 
as  in  the  case  of  the  large  Cochins  (page  147).  The  males 
in  this  variety  generally  come  pretty  good  in  top  color, 
the  main  weakness  being  that  the  striping  in  the  hackle 
and  saddle  are  not  well  defined.  There  is  also  quite  a 
decided  tendency  in  this  variety  for  birds  of  both  sexes 
to  run  too  large,  and  the  effort  should  be  to  breed  them 
as  small  as  the  Buff  Cochin  Bantam.  There  is  also  a 
tendency  for  the  females  to  be  too  light  in  ground  color. 
This  ground  color  should  be  a  rich  mahogany.  The  fe- 
males also  tend  toward  poor  penciling,  that  is,  penciling 
which  is  not  well  defined,  but  which  more  nearly  ap- 
proaches stippling.  They  are  especially  apt  to  be  stippled 
over  the  back  and  to  be  too  light  colored  in  throat  and 
breast.  For  defects  common  to  the  breed  which  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  294. 

The  White  Cochin  Bantam 

This  variety  has  a  greater  tendency  than  any  of  the 
others  to  be  short  and  closely  feathered.  It  is  essential, 
therefore,  that  breeders  be  selected  which  are  as  loosely 
feathered  as  possible.  In  selecting  the  matings,  the 
single  or  standard  mating  is  employed  and  birds  should 
be  picked  out  which  approach  as  closely  as  possible  to 
the  standard.  Select  birds  which  are  pure  white  through- 


THE    ORNAMENTAL    BANTAM    CLASS  297 

out  and  which  are  free  from  any  signs  of  brassiness.  It 
IS  also  necessary  in  this  variety  to  select  against  those 
birds  which  have  a  tendency  to  show  long,  stiff  tails.  This 
is  a  defect  which  is  more  or  less  common,  and  which  is 
undoubtedly  due  to  the  Booted  White  Bantam  blood 
which  has  been  used  in  making  the  White  Cochin  Ban- 
tams. For  defects  common  to  the  breed  which  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  294. 

The  Black  Cochin  Bantam 

This  variety  is  probably  the  most  typical  of  all  Cochin 
Bantams,  as  it  approaches  more  nearly  the  shape  of  the 
large  Cochins.  It  is  usual  to  emplov  a  single  or  standard 
matmg  m  which  birds  of  both  sexes  are  selected  which 
approach  as  nearly  as  possible  the  standard.  The  black 
surface  color  should  show  a  greenish  sheen  and  should 
be  free  from  any  purple  tinge  or  purple  barring.  There 
IS  also  a  tendency  for  the  birds  to  come  with  dark  eyes 
and  this  should  be  selected  against,  as  red  eyes  are  de- 
sired. White  also  may  occur  in  under  color  of  hackle 
and  saddle  and  this,  of  course,  must  be  selected  against 
For  defects  common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  294. 

The  Japanese  Bantam 

This  breed  is  quite  unique  among  the  standard  breeds 
of  poultry.  It  has  a  fairly  large  single  comb  which  is 
erect  in  both  sexes.  On  account  of  the  large  size  of  the 
comb,  there  is  a  considerable  tendency  toward  lopped 
comb.  The  neck  is  comparatively  short  and  the  body 
very  low  set,  the  shanks  being  extremely  short.  The 
tail  IS  large  and  well  spread,  and  is  carried  so  high  that 
it  IS  decidedly  squirrel ;  in  fact,  the  tail  should  almost 
touch  the  neck.  To  secure  birds  having  tails  carried 
well  forward,  it  is  well  to  breed  from  birds  in  which  the 


298  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

tail  and  neck  touch,  if  possible  to  secure  them.  The 
wings  are  large  and  are  carried  very  low  so  as  almost  to 
drag  upon  the  ground.  This  breed  should  be  very  heavily 
feathered,  but  should  be  compact  in  feathering  so  that  it 
is  not  Cochiny  in  that  respect. 

In  making  the  matings  in  this  breed,  the  following  de- 
fects, which  are  common  to  all  varieties,  must  be  guarded 
against  in  so  far  as  possible  :  wry  tails ;  narrow  feathers 
in  the  tail  and  soft  texture  of  feathers ;  too  much  length 
of  leg;  stubs;  too  loosely  feathered  birds;  lopped  combs. 

The  Black  Tailed  Japanese  Bantam 

In  making  the  mating  in  this  variety,  it  is  common  to 
use  the  single  or  standard  mating,  selecting  birds  of  both 
sexes  which  are  as  nearly  like  the  standard  as  possible. 
There  is  some  tendency  to  have  white  in  the  main  tail 
feathers,  this  being  especially  true  of  the  females. 
Breeders  should  be  selected  in  which  the  main  tail 
feathers  are  black.  It  is  also  necessary  to  guard  against 
brassiness  in  the  surface  color  of  males,  and  against 
black  ticking  in  the  neck  hackles  of  both  sexes.  Dark 
in  the  under  color  of  back  is  also  undesirable,  as  it  is  apt 
to  be  associated  with  ticking  in  the  hackle.  For  defects 
common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  guarded  against  in 
so  far  as  possible,  see  page  298. 

The  White  Japanese   Bantam 

In  mating  this  variety,  the  single  or  standard  mating 
is  used.  Birds  of  this  variety  are  inclined  to  run  a  trifle 
higher  on  legs  than  other  varieties,  and  this  must  be 
offset  in  the  breeding  by  the  selection  of  birds  low  on 
legs.  It  is  also  necessary  to  guard  against  brassiness  in 
the  surface  color.  There  is  likewise  some  tendency 
toward  ticking  and  a  tendency  to  show  black  in  the  tail. 
For  defects  common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  selected 
against  in  so  far  as  possible,  see  page  298. 


THE   ORXAMENTAL    BANTAM    CLASS  299 

The  Black  Japanese  Bantam 

In  mating  this  variety,  use  the  single  or  standard  mat- 
ing. The  principal  color  tendencies  which  must  be 
guarded  against  in  so  far  as  possible  are  gray  in  the  pri- 
mary wing  feathers,  white  in  the  under  color  in  all  sec- 
tions, and  any  purple  tinge  or  barring,  especially  in  the 
males.  It  is  hard  to  get  birds  which  are  absolutely  free 
from  purple.  For  defects  common  to  the  breed,  see 
page  298. 

The  Gray  Japanese  Bantam 

In  mating  this  variety,  use  the  single  or  standard  mat- 
ing. The  Gray  Japanese  Bantams  should  have  Birchen 
markings.  The  males  come  better  in  this  respect  than 
the  females,  as  the  latter  are  apt  to  come  with  stippling 
on  back  and  saddle,  and  on  the  tail  feathers  and  sec- 
ondary wing  feathers.  The  females  also  show  a  tendency 
to  come  dull  black,  with  poor  lacing;  that  is,  the  lacing 
on  the  breast  is  inclined  not  to  be  clear  and  distinct,  the 
black  tending  to  run  into  the  white.  The  hackle  is  also 
inclined  to  be  mossy,  that  is,  the  white  running  into  the 
black  centers.  Guard  also  against  gray  in  the  fluff  of 
females.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  in  selecting 
females  for  the  mating  that  it  is  difficult  to  get  females 
which  are  good  in  color  in  this  section.  The  males  come 
pretty  good  in  color  of  fluff.  This  variety  is  inclined  to 
run  more  Cochiny  in  feathering  than  the  other  varieties. 
This,  of  course,  must  be  selected  against.  For  defects 
common  to  the  breed  which  must  be  guarded  against  in 
so  far  as  possible,  see  page  298. 

The  Polish  Bantam 

The  Polish  Bantams,  both  in  the  bearded  and  non- 
bearded  varieties,  are  identical  with  the  large  Polish 
(page  229)  except  in  the  matter  of  size.  There  are,  how- 


300  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

ever,  several  tendencies  which  should  be  mentioned  in 
connection  with  the  Polish  Bantam.  These  fowls  tend  to 
have  too  much  comb,  the  comb  approaching  the  leaf  comb 
in  character.  It  should  be  very  small,  appearing  merely 
as  two  little  horns.  The  males  also  have  a  tendency  to 
have  short  sickle  feathers  and  to  lack  long,  flowing  tail 
coverts.  Only  a  few  males  have  good  length  of  sickles 
and  long  flowing  coverts. 

The  Bearded  White  Polish  Bantam 

In  mating  this  variety,  exactly  the  same  consideration 
should  be  given  as  in  the  case  of  the  large  White  Polish 
(page  235),  but  it  is  also  necessary  to  guard  against  a 
blue  or  black  face.  While  some  judges  seem  to  prefer  a 
blue  face,  this  is  wrong.  It  is  also  necessary  to  guard 
against  the  closed  or  low  nostril.  Breed  from  birds  which 
have  open  or  raised  nostrils  (page  253),  just  as  in  the 
big  variety,  except  that  they  are  smaller.  This  variety 
is  very  subject  to  closed  or  low  nostril.  The  skin  should 
not  be  blue,  but  the  majority  of  the  birds  have  a  blue 
skin.  If  possible,  breed  from  those  with  white  skin.  For 
defects  common  to  the  breed,  see  page  300. 

The  Buff  Laced  Polish  Bantam 

In  breeding  this  variety,  the  same  matings  are  made 
as  in  the  case  of  the  large  Buff  Laced  Polish  (page  237). 
There  is  a  tendency  for  birds  of  this  variety  to  have  white 
beaks,  and  this  must  be  guarded  against.  There  is  also 
a  considerable  tendency  for  white  in  the  tails  and  wings, 
which  must  also  be  selected  against.  For  defects  com- 
mon to  the  breed,  see  page  300. 

Non-Bearded  Polish  Bantams 

In  mating  the  non-bearded  varieties,  it  must  be  kept  in 
mind  that  they  are  the  same  in  every  respect  as  the  corre- 


THE   ORNAMENTAL    BANTAM    CLASS  301 

spending  bearded  varieties,  except  that  they  are  without 
beard.  In  making  the  matings,  the  same  consideration 
should  be  given  as  in  the  case  of  the  large  Polish. 

The  Mille  Fleur  Booted  Bantam 

The  Mille  Fleur  Booted  Bantam  is  really  a  variety  of 
the  booted  bantam,  and  should  not  be  considered  a  sepa- 
rate breed.  The  Mille  Fleur  simply  refers  to  the  color 
and  color  pattern.  In  type,  therefore,  the  Mille  Fleur 
Booted  Bantam  is  identical  v^^ith  the  Booted  White  Ban- 
tam (page  291). 

In  making  the  mating,  it  is  usual  to  employ  a  single  or 
standard  mating.  Avoid  females  shov^ing  shafting  and 
stippling  in  the  buff  ground  color.  This  is  most  likely 
to  occur  on  the  back.  The  buff  color  should  be  clear. 
Specimens  should  be  selected  which  have  each  color  dis- 
tinctly separated.  The  white  tip  should  not  be  too  large, 
and  the  black  bar  which  separates  the  white  tip  from  the 
buff  part  of  the  feather  should  also  be  of  moderate  size. 
There  is  some  tendency  for  the  white  tip  to  run  into  the 
black  if  the  tip  is  too  large.  This  tendency  increases  with 
the  age  of  the  bird.  Pullets  and  cockerels  in  their  first 
plumage  should  not  show  a  great  amount  of  white  tip- 
ping on  account  of  this  increase  with  age  or  after  the 
molt.  Avoid  males  as  breeders  that  have  striping  in  the 
neck  and  saddle,  running  through  the  entire  length  of 
feathers.  These  males  are  apt  to  produce  females  which 
show  shafting  and  stippling.  Avoid  solid  white  flight 
and  tail  feathers  in  both  sexes.  The  boots  should  be  as 
heavy  as  possible,  and  the  hock  feathering  long  and  stiff. 
There  is  a  tendency  for  the  booting  to  run  too  light. 

The  correct  shade  of  ground  color  in  the  female  should 
not  be  a  pale  lemon  or  deep  bay.  but  should  be  a  rich, 
golden  buff.  In  pullets  a  shade  slightly  darker  than  this 
may  be  tolerated,  as  it  tends  to  lighten  with  the  molt. 


302 


THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 


The  proper  shade  of  under  color  in  the  female  should  be 
a  bluish  slate  next  to  the  surface,  shading  into  a  pale  sal- 
mon color  toward  the  skin.  If  the  entire  under  color  is 
slate  it  is  apt. to  be  associated  with  too  heavy  a  black  bar 


d 


^^C/T/^ 


w 


/i^/yi4P/90H^/'^ 


/y>^(r/rz^^ 


;i^A/6'/90^^ 


^2r. 


*' 


^^^^f^ps^r-yv. 


.s^^:>z?/L/r  /^. 


^/?^y^s;^yr 


Fig.   96— Well-marked  Mille  Fleur   Bantam  feathers.     M   indicate   male  and 

F    female.      (Photograph     from     the     Bureau     of     Animal     Industry,     United 

States  Department  of  Agriculture.) 


THE   ORNAMENTAL   BANTAM    CLASS  303 

separating  the  white  tip  from  the  buff  color.  Where  the 
under  color  is  all  buff,  it  is  apt  to  be  associated  with  a  too 
scanty  black  bar.  In  case  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  male 
bird  which  is  dark  in  ground  color,  he  should  be  mated 
to  light-colored  females. 

The  males  of  this  breed  tend  to  have  a  large  comb. 
These  bantams  do  not,  as  a  rule,  take  on  their  correct 
plumage  until  they  are  two  years  old.  Therefore,  it  is 
best  not  to  cull  or  dispose  of  young  stock  until  the  end  of 
the  second  year.  Avoid  any  solid  colored  body  feathers ; 
that  is,  those  lacking  the  spangle  and  the  bar,  and  also 
avoid  any  solid  white  or  black  feathers  in  the  hackle  of 
both  sexes.  There  is  somewhat  of  a  tendency  for  the 
shanks  to  come  yellow,  and  this  must  be  avoided,  as  the 
correct  color  is  slaty  blue.  The  Mille  Fleur  breeds  both 
plain  and  bearded. 


CHAPTER  XV 
THE  MISCELLANEOUS  CLASS 

The  Silkies 

As  the  name  implies,  this  breed  is  characterized  by  the 
peculiar  nature  of  its  feathering.  The  feathers  should  be 
long  and  webless  and  of  a  silky  texture.  The  breed  is  of 
small  size,  being  practically  Bantams.  In  type  they  should 
be  low,  resembling  somewhat  the  Cochin  Bantams.  The 
feathering  is  profuse.  They  possess  a  crest  and  a  fifth  toe. 
The  shanks  and  outer  toes  are  feathered.  The  comb  should 
be  small  and  round,  without  any  spike.  There  is,  however, 
a  tendency  for  the  comb  to  have  a  single  leader  or  spike,  or 
in  some  cases  to  have  a  small  double  spike.  The  face  and 
comb  should  be  purple  in  color,  and  it  is  necessary  to  guard 
against  red  or  white  lobes  and  red  combs  and  faces.  The 
ear  lobe  should  be  turquoise  blue.  Good  lobe  color,  face  and 
comb  color  are  among  the  hardest  things  to  get  right  in  this 
breed.  The  feathers  of  the  wing  and  tail  sometimes  tend  to 
be  stiff,  but  this  should  be  avoided.  There  is  somewhat  of 
a  tendency  for  the  fifth  toe  to  be  set  close  to  the  fourth  toe. 
This  is  undesirable,  as  the  two  toes  should  be  well  separated. 
Birds  with  four  toes  must  also  be  guarded  against,  as  the 
absence  of  the  fifth  toe  is  undesirable  and  quite  a  common 
defect.  Occasionally  six  toes  occur,  and  this  must  also  be 
avoided.  Any  tendency  toward  too  great  a  length  of  leg. 
which  makes  the  fowl  set  too  high  on  leg,  must  be  avoided. 
Avoid  stiff  quill  feathers  around  the  hocks,  as  there  is  a 
tendency  in  this  breed  toward  vulture  hocks,  which  are  un- 
desirable. The  crest  tends  to  run  too  small  in  size,  but 
should  be  full  and  of  moderate  size. 

304 


THE    MISCELLANEOUS    CLASS  305 

The  hens  are  splendid  sitters  and  mothers,  and  are  ex- 
tensively used  in  hatching  small  sittings  of  choice  eggs  of 
other  varieties  and  the  eggs  of  pheasants.  They  are  natu- 
rally quite  tame. 

In  making  the  matings  of  this  breed,  it  is  customary  to 
employ  the  single  or  standard  mating,  selecting  birds  which 
approach  as  closely  as  possible  to  the  standard  in  both  sexes. 
The  plumage  should  be  pure  white  throughout,  and  there  is 
little  tendency  toward  brassiness. 

Avoid  the  following  defects,  in  so  far  as  possible,  in  the 
birds  to  be  bred :  too  much  length  of  leg ;  shanks  and  outer 
toes  not  feathered  ;  red  or  white  ear  lobes  ;  red  comb ;  red 
face ;  stiff  web  and  quills  of  v/ing  or  tail  feathers ;  absence 
of  fifth  toe;  fifth  toe  not  well  separated  from  fourth;  the 
presence  of  six  toes  ;  too  small  crest ;  vulture  hocks  ;  comb 
with  leader  or  spikes,  or  with  small  double  spike;  color  of 
leg,  skin  and  beak  other  than  blue. 

The  Sultans 

This  breed  is  medium  to  small  in  size  and  characterized 
by  a  large  crest,  the  presence  of  a  muff  and  beard  and  vul- 
ture hocks.  In  making  the  matings  it  is  customary  to  use 
the  single  or  standard  mating,  selecting  birds  of  both  sexes 
as  breeders  which  approach  the  standard  as  closely  as  pos- 
sible. The  plumage  should  be  pure  white  throughout,  and 
free  from  any  foreign  color. 

In  this  breed  a  good  but  small  V-shaped  comb  is  desired, 
and  a  beard  which  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  bearded  Polish. 
The  shank  and  foot  feathering  should  be  heavy,  like  that  in 
the  Booted  Bantams.  An  open  or  raised  nostril  like  that  in 
the  Polish  (page  229)  is  desired. 

In  making  the  matings  it  is  necessary  to  guard  against 
the  f ollov.-ing  defects  in  so  far  as  possible :  lack  of  vulture 
hocks;  lack  of  fifth  toes;  lack  of  beard;  too  scanty  foot 
feathering ;    feathering  not  extending  down  the  shanks  and 


306  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

over  the  outer  and  middle  toes;  closed  or  single  nostril 
(birds  with  closed  nostril  have  a  tendency  to  throw  single 
combs)  ;  brassiness. 

The  Frizzles 

The  birds  of  this  breed  are  characterized  by  a  peculiar 
character  of  the  feathers,  which  show  a  decided  tendency  to 
curve  backward  or  upward  at  the  ends.  This  is  especially 
noticeable  in  the  hackle  and  saddle  feathers,  but  it  is  desired 
that  all  of  the  feathers  show  this  to  the  greatest  degree 
possible.  The  comb  should  be  single  and  the  color,  which 
must  be  solid,  may  be  either  black,  white,  red  or  bay.  A\^hen 
these  birds  are  shown  in  pairs  or  pens,  it  is  necessary  that 
they  match  in  color.  They  should  have  four  toes.  So  far 
as  general  type  and  other  characteristics  are  concerned,  the 
standard  is  not  well  fixed.  As  soft  feathers  as  possible  are 
desired  on  the  males,  and  it  is  necessary  to  guard  against 
stifif  wing  feathers.  It  is  also  necessary  to  guard  against 
short-feathered  birds,  as  these  do  not  show  the  frizzled  char- 
acter. Frizzled  males,  when  bred  to  long,  soft-feathered 
females  with  a  single  comb,  such  as  the  White  Rock,  will 
produce  about  50  per  cent  of  the  offspring  frizzled. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
PREPARING  FOWLS  FOR  THE  SHOW 

The  successful  exhibitor  overlooks  no  opportunity  to  show 
his  birds  to  the  best  possible  advantage.  He  realizes  thai 
competition  is  keen,  that  the  other  exhibitors  will  do  every- 
thing possible  to  put  their  entries  in  shape  to  win,  and  that 
very  small  differences  in  condition  may  be  sufficient  to  make 
a  bird  a  winner  or  a  loser.  He  begins,  therefore,  in  a  sense, 
to  prepare  his  fowls  for  the  show  from  the  time  that  they 
are  hatched.  The  birds  must  be  given  every  chance  to  show 
to  the  best  advantage.  Failure  to  condition  and  prepare 
birds  properly  may  result  in  a  well-conditioned  bird  of  fairly 
good  quality  winning  over  a  better  bird  not  properly  con- 
ditioned. The  breeder  must  therefore  give  careful  attention 
to  the  matter  of  preparing  his  fowls  for  the  show. 

Time  of  hatching. — The  time  of  hatching  is  important. 
There  is  only  a  comparatively  short  time  in  a  young  bird's 
Hfe  when  it  is  at  its  best,  and  this  is  when  it  has  just  reached 
full  maturity,  full  growth  of  body  and  feathers,  and  while 
its  plumage  is  still  fresh  and  in  the  bloom.  Pullets  show  this 
condition  just  as  or  just  before  they  begin  to  lay.  After  they 
have  laid  for  a  time  their  freshness  and  bloom  are  lost  to 
some  extent,  and  they  do  not  appear  to  as  good  advantage. 
It  is  essential,  therefore,  in  order  to  have  the  young  stock 
at  its  best,  that  it  be  hatched  at  the  right  time.  For  the 
earlier  fall  shows  the  hatching  should  be  done  early,  proba- 
bly in  February  or  even  January,  while  for  the  later  shows 
the  hatching  may  be  later.  It  seldom  pays,  however,  to 
hatch  stock  for  exhibition  after  the  middle  of  May,  for  this 
does  not  as  a  rule  allow  time  enough  for  the  development 
and  growth  of  birds  of  standard  size.  Later  hatched  birds 
may  prove  to  be  suitable  for  the  late  winter  shows  and  to 

307 


308  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

show  as  hens  and  cocks  the  following  year,  but  since  there  is 
a  tendency  in  nearly  every  breed  for  fowls  to  go  to  pieces,  or, 
in  other  words,  to  develop  defects  with  age  which  were  not 
present  when  the  birds  were  young,  it  is  better  to  hatch  early 
enough  so  that  the  fowls  can  be  used  for  exhibition  purposes 
as  cockerels  and  pullets  if  of  the  proper  quality,  and  to 
depend  upon  such  young  birds  for  exhibition  cocks  and  hens 
in  succeeding  years.  In  some  breeds  there  is  a  decided  tend- 
ency for  the  birds  to  fall  below  the  standard  size  and  weight. 
In  such  cases  early  hatching  is  especially  important,  in  order 
to  give  the  fowls  every  chance  to  reach  as  large  a  size  as 
possible. 

Feeding  and  management  of  growing  stock. — If  young 
stock  is  to  have  the  size  and  development  necessary  in  order 
to  be  of  exhibition  quality,  it  is  essential  that  it  be  well 
grown.  The  growth  of  the  birds  must  have  been  continuous 
and  fairly  rapid,  with  no  serious  checks  or  setbacks.  Any 
method  of  feeding  growing  chickens  and  any  rations  which 
have  been  used  and  which  have  given  good,  continuous 
growth  are  satisfactory.  In  such  rations  a  considerable 
variety  of  feed  is  desirable  in  order  to  insure  the  growth 
of  a  strong,  rugged  frame  and  luxuriant  plumage.  If  young 
birds  seem  to  be  developing  too  rapidly,  they  can  often  be 
delayed  by  changing  the  feed  and  keeping  them  almost 
wholly  on  a  grain  mixture.  Pullets  can  often  be  prevented 
from  laying  by  moving  them  to  strange  quarters. 

As  the  fowls  approach  maturity,  care  must  be  exercised 
not  too  feed  too  much  beef  scrap.  This  is  a  stimulating 
feed  and  may  cause  the  combs  of  cockerels  and  pullets  to 
get  too  large  or  to  get  large  too  quickly.  It  may  also  cause 
the  pullets  to  start  laying  at  an  early  age,  which  not  only 
tends  to  stunt  their  growth,  but  is  also  undesirable,  because 
it  will  destroy  the  freshness  and  bloom  of  their  appearance 
when  shown. 

As  soon  as  the  cockerels  begin  to  annoy  the  pullets  to  any 
great  extent,  they  should  be  separated  from  them  and  placed 


PREPARING    FOWLS    FOR   THE    SHOW  3C9 

in  separate  yards  or  on  a  separate  range.  In  removing  the 
cockerels,  take  away  those  of  about  the  same  size  and 
development.  As  others  develop,  they  can  be  removed  later, 
but  should  not  be  placed  with  those  taken  away  previously 
or  they  will  fight  and  injure  one  another.  If  the  cockerels 
are  left  on  the  pullet  range  in  considerable  numbers,  they 
will  annoy  them  so  much  as  to  interfere  to  some  extent  with 
the  growth  of  the  pullets.  A  few  promising  cockerels  wliicb 
are  backward  in  their  development  may  be  left  on  the  pullet 
range  to  good  advantage,  as  they  will  have  a  better  chance 
to  develop  than  if  placed  with  larger  cockerels,  which  will 
cow  and  dominate  them.  When  any  exceptionally  outstand- 
ing cockerels  are  noticed,  it  is  best  to  separate  them  from 
the  others,  either  by  placing  them  in  a  pen  by  themselves,  or, 
preferably,  by  putting  them  with  a  small  pen  of  hens.  If 
left  with  the  other  cockerels  there  is  always  a  danger,  even 
though  they  have  been  raised  together,  that  they  will  fight 
and  be  permanently  injured  as  show  birds. 

A  cockerel  which  is  backward  in  development  can  often 
be  brought  along  more  quickly  by  placing  him  with  a  few 
hens  than  if  left  alone  or  with  other  cockerels. 

Feeding  white  fowls. — In  white  fowls,  or  those  with 
large  white  sections,  there  is  sometimes  a  tendency  for  the 
white  of  the  plumage  to  be  creamy  or  brassy.  While  this  is 
a  matter  of  breeding  to  a  great  degree,  the  feeding  will  in- 
crease or  decrease  the  amount  of  yellow  in  the  plumage 
according  to  the  materials  used.  This  is  true  not  only  of 
young  fowls,  but  of  older  fowls  as  well,  particularly  just 
preceding  and  during  the  molt.  For  white  fowls,  never  use 
yellow  corn.  If  corn  is  used,  purchase  and  feed  white  corn. 
Avoid  also  any  feeds  which  are  rich  in  fats  or  oils,  such  as 
sunflower  seed,  oil  meal,  cottonseed  meal,  peanut  meal,  etc., 
and  also  any  form  of  meat  feed  which  contains  much  fat. 
W^hen  it  is  desired  to  feed  meat  of  any  kind,  use  that  as  free 
from  fat  as  possible,  and  it  may  be  found  advisable  to  boil 
the  meat  before  feeding  in  order  to  extract  the  fat.     Hog 


310      THE  MATING  AND  BREEDING  OF  POULTRY 

liver  is  said  to  be  free  from  the  yellow  pigment  which  causes 
this  creaminess,  and  is  used  by  some  breeders  in  feeding 
their  white  fowls.  Green  feed  is  also  bad  to  bring  out 
creaminess  in  white  fowls.  Of  course  it  must  be  kept  in 
mind  that  if  one  should  go  too  far  in  cutting  out  the  use  of 
feeds  which  may  afifect  the  color  of  white  plumage,  they 
would  be  likely  to  get  an  undesirable  effect  in  another  direc- 
tion, in  the  case  of  yellow-legged  varieties,  in  a  partial  loss 
of  leg  and  beak  color.  It  should  also  be  noted  that  the  same 
feeds  which  bring  out  creaminess  in  white  plumage  will  help 
to  bring  out  creaminess  in  white  ear  lobes. 

Value  of  shade. — Shade  is  of  the  utmost  value,  if  not 
absolutely  essential,  in  obtaining  the  best  color  of  plumage. 
Intense  sun  has  a  bad  eft'ect  upon  practically  any  color  of 
plumage.  It  may  cause  sunburn  or  brassiness  in  white  birds, 
purple  bars  in  black,  and  will  fade  or  deaden  buff*,  red, 
barred  Plymouth  Rock  or  any  other  colored  plumage.  The 
combined  effect  of  the  sun  and  rain  is  worse  than  that  of 
the  sun  alone.  It  is  frequently  claimed  that  the  color  of  late- 
hatched  is  better  than  that  of  early-hatched  birds.  This  is 
undoubtedly  due  to  the  fact  that  the  early-hatched  fowls  get 
their  mature  plumage  earlier  in  the  year  than  the  late- 
hatched,  and  in  consequence  it  is  exposed  for  a  longer  time 
and  to  a  more  intense  sunshine,  which  causes  a  greater 
degree  of  fading.  A  note  of  caution  may  be  needed  here, 
with  respect  to  brassiness  in  white  fowls.  While  this  color 
may  be  brought  out  by  exposure  to  the  hot  sun.  there  is  a 
great  difference  in  strains  in  respect  to  the  occurrence  of 
brassiness  under  any  conditions,  some  being  much  freer  than 
others.  Therefore  the  breeder  should  not  fool  himself,  if  he 
has  birds  free  from  this  color  due  to  the  fact  that  he  has 
kept  them  out  of  the  sun,  into  thinking  that  his  birds  are 
free  from  this  defect  from  a  breeding  standpoint. 

Selecting  the  birds  to  be  prepared  for  the  shov^. — The 
successful  breeder  will  prove  to  be  a  student  of  his  birds 
from  the  time  thev  are  hatched.     He  watches  them  closelv 


PREPARING    FOWLS    FOR    THE    SHOW  311 

as  they  develop,  and  will  have  in  mind  those  which  show 
the  most  promise  and  which  stand  out  as  exceptional  birds. 
His  choice  of  the  birds  to  be  conditioned  will  therefore  be 
among  those  birds  which  have  attracted  his  attention. 
Needless  to  say,  only  those  birds  which  are  in  good  health 
and  natural  condition  would  be  among  them.  The  next  step 
in  their  selection  will  be  a  close  examination,  section  by 
section,  looking  especially  for  serious  defects  which  will  put 
them  out  of  the  running,  and  for  strength  and  weakness  in 
the  different  sections  and  for  the  fowl  as  a  whole.  The 
condition  and  development  of  the  birds,  with  respect  to  the 
time  of  the  show,  will  also  be  a  big  factor  in  their  selection. 
Often  birds  can  be  taken  direct  from  the  range  or  from  the 
pens  in  about  the  best  possible  condition  in  which  it  is  pos- 
sible to  get  them,  except  for  washing  and  other  special 
attention.  The  breeder  should  select  for  conditioning 
several  birds  more  than  he  expects  to  exhibit,  as  some  of 
them  may  go  bad  during  the  process. 

It  is  well  to  group  the  birds  showing  promise  together  in 
exhibition  cages,  so  that  they  can  be  compared  side  by  side, 
as  this  affords  the  best  possible  opportunity  to  study  them 
and  to  select  the  best.  The  breeder  will  already  have  a  good 
idea  of  the  excellence  of  his  older  birds,  but  they  must  be 
carefully  examined  to  see  that  they  have  not  gone  bad  in 
any  section.  The  choice  will  then  lie  with  those  which  are 
in  the  best  condition  of  health  and  feather  for  the  particular 
show. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  the  judge  which  is  to  officiate 
tends  to  emphasize  type  rather  heavily  in  his  work,  or  color, 
or  pays  especial  attention  to  some  particular  quality  or 
section.  If  the  breeder  knows  the  judge's  taste  and  prefer- 
ence, he  will  frequently  make  selection  of  certain  birds 
which  are  exceptionally  strong  in  these  particulars,  even  if 
not  in  his  judgment  quite  such  good  all-around  birds. 

Cooping  birds  for  training. — When  it  becomes  time  to 
train  ihe  birds,  they  should  be  cooped  separately  in  coops 


312  THE    MATING   AND    BREEDING   OF    POULTRY 

which  are  as  nearly  as  possible  like  those  used  in  the  show 
room.  Be  sure  that  the  coops  are  large  enough  so  as  to  give 
the  birds  plenty  of  room  to  stand  in  a  natural  position.  The 
usual  exhibition  coop  is  2  feet  long,  2  feet  deep  and  27 
inches  high,  and  the  coops  used  for  training  should  be  about 
this  size.  Also  be  sure  to  use  coops  with  open  wire  tops, 
so  that  the  birds  will  become  used  to  them  and  not  try  to 
fly  out,  as  this  will  often  injure  the  comb.  If  the  birds 
show  a  tendency  to  try  to  fly  out  the  top,  cover  it  with  a 
piece  of  paper  or  some  other  material  until  they  get  used 
to  it.  When  a  pen  is  to  be  shown,  the  females  should  be 
cooped  together  for  training  and  before  washing,  as  this 
will  prevent  the  fighting  which  might  occur  if  the  hens  were 
first  put  together  in  the  show  room.  The  usual  pen  exhibi- 
tion coop  is  4  feet  long,  30  inches  deep,  and  30  inches  high. 
Training. — Remember  that  other  things  being  equal,  the 
best  trained  bird  will  win.  Training  is  therefore  important. 
Place  the  coops,  if  possible,  where  people  pass  by  frequently, 
so  that  they  will  become  accustomed  in  some  degree  to  the 
condition  which  they  will  find  in  the  show  room.  Some 
conditioners  even  train  their  birds  in  a  room  of  the  dwelling 
house,  where  someone  is  present  most  of  the  time,  or  the 
children  are  playing  about,  so  that  they  will  become  used  to 
the  noise  and  motion.  Never  scare  the  birds,  but  move 
carefully  and  quietly ;  otherwise  they  may  Injure  themselves 
or  their  plumage  in  their  efforts  to  escape,  and  may  be  made 
wild  and  harder  to  train.  Handle  the  birds  whenever  pos- 
sible, and  take  them  out  of  the  cage  so  that  they  will  be 
used  to  this  when  judged.  Considerable  time  can  be  spent 
to  advantage  in  posing  the  birds  in  the  cage,  both  with  the 
hands  and  with  the  judging  stick,  so  that  they  will  become 
used  to  either  method.  The  attempt  should  be  made  to  train 
the  bird  to  assume  a  pose  which  will  show  him  oflf  to  the 
best  advantage  whenever  anyone  approaches  the  cage,  A 
great  difiference  will  be  found  in  different  birds  as  to  the 
amount  of  time  necessary  to  tame  and  train  them.     Some 


PREPARING    FOWLS    FOR   THE    SHOW  313 

birds  seem  to  be  natural  born  show  birds,  and  are  relatively 
tame  and  instinctively  assume  a  good  pose.  Other  birds  are 
harder  to  tame,  and  occasional  birds  can  never  be  satisfac- 
torily tamed  and  trained.  If  a  bird  is  inclined  to  be  wild, 
feeding  sparingly  will  help  to  tame  him.  It  will  also  be 
found  helpful  to  take  the  bird  out  of  the  cage  and  carry 
him  around  on  one's  arm  whenever  possible.  Some  birds 
may  be  tamed  and  trained  in  two  or  three  days,  others  will 
take  a  week,  and  others  will  need  two  weeks  or  longer.  In 
general,  it  is  easier  to  tame  a  cockerel  or  a  pullet  than  a  cock 
or  hen  which  has  never  had  previous  handling.  A  cockerel 
which  has  been  handled,  if  he  received  no  further  attention 
for  a  year,  will  shew  the  eflfects  of  the  previous  handling 
when  the  attempt  is  made  to  train  him  as  a  cock.  He  will 
not  have  forgotten  entirely,  and  will  not  be  as  difficult  to 
handle.  The  room  for  training  should  be  unheated,  so  that 
the  fowls  will  have  about  the  same  temperature  that  they 
are  used  to  and  will  be  less  likely  to  catch  cold  when  taken 
out  to  ship.  A  heated  room  is  also  dangerous  to  use  because 
it  is  likely  to  cause  too  great  a  comb  development. 

Danger  of  overcooping. — Do  not  keep  the  fowls  too 
closely  confined  to  the  coops  while  training.  Arrange,  if 
possible,  so  that  they  can  be  given  the  run  of  a  pen  part  of 
the  time,  as  otherwise  they  will  not  have  exercise  enough 
and  may  get  out  of  condition.  Feed  all  cooped  birds  lightly, 
unless  they  are  being  fed  for  special  development,  as  there  is 
usually  a  tendency  to  overfeed.  It  should  be  mentioned  here 
also  that  birds  should  not  be  shown  too  much.  Usually  it  is 
best  to  show  a  bird  at  only  one,  or  at  best  two  shows.  Not 
only  is  it  next  to  impossible  to  keep  the  birds  in  the  pink  of 
condition,  but  the  hardship  and  travel  are  such  a  trying 
experience  for  the  bird  that  his  health  is  likely  to  suffer  as 
a  result.  This  is  especially  true  with  respect  to  birds  which 
are  to  be  used  as  breeders,  for  the  fertility  of  both  males 
and  females  is  very  likely  to  suffer.  If  a  bird  is  to  be  shown 
at  two  shows,  he  should  be  given  a  rest  between,  if  possible. 


314  THE    MATING    AXD    BREEDING    OF    FOULTRY 

Feeding  birds  which  are  being  conditioned. — \Mien 
birds  are  smaller  than  they  should  be,  or  loo  thin,  it  is  some- 
times possible  by  special  feeding  to  increase  their  weights 
and  bring  them  up  to  standard.  To  accomplish  this,  feed 
them  plentifully  of  some  good  fattening  ration,  using  a  con- 
siderable proportion  of  moist  mash.  The  greatest  care  and 
judgment  must  be  used,  however,  to  see  that  in  the  eagerness 
to  put  on  weight  the  birds  are  not  crowded  too  hard  and  do 
not  go  off  their  feed,  and  it  is  important  not  to  coop  too 
closely  so  that  exercise  is  denied  the  birds.  Where  birds  in 
training  are  not  being  fed  for  development,  it  is  usual  to  feed 
only  good,  sound,  hard  grain,  and  to  feed  that  rather  spar- 
ingly. This  prevents  looseness  of  the  bowels  and  tends  to 
keep  the  fowls  in  good  condition.  A  small  amount  of  green 
feed  should  be  given  and  a  small  amount  of  beef  scrap  or 
other  meat  feed,  if  the  birds  have  been  used  to  it.  The 
latter  must  be  fed  very  sparingly,  however,  as  it  is  apt  to 
overdevelop  the  comb,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  omit  it 
entirely.  Some  conditioners  feed  soft  feed  in  whole  or  in 
part  in  place  of  the  hard  feed.  As  a  rule,  this  is  practiced 
in  the  breeds  where  fluffiness  of  feathering  is  desired,  as  in 
the  Cochin  and  Orpington.  Nothing  but  hard  feed  is  given 
to  Games,  where  closeness  and  hardness  of  feathering  are 
desired.  ^A  here  a  gloss  of  feathers  is  desired,  it  is  common 
practice  to  feed  materials  rich  in  oil  and  fat,  such  as  sun- 
flower seed,  oil  meal,  or  meat  feed  containing  fat,  but  this 
class  of  feeds  should  not  be  given  to  white  fowls,  especially 
when  growing  new  feathers,  as  it  brings  out  creaminess. 

Cleaning  shanks  and  toes. — The  shanks  and  toes  of  all 
birds  should  be  washed.  In  the  case  of  birds  whose  plumage 
is  to  be  washed,  this  should  be  done  before  washing  the 
feathers, and  in  separate  water  so  as  not  to  dirty  it.  Use  warm 
water  and  soap,  and  scrub  the  shanks  and  toes  with  a  nail- 
brush until  all  dirt  is  removed.  After  this,  take  a  piece  of 
hard  wood,  sharpened  to  a  point,  or  a  toothpick,  and  clean 
out  all  the  dirt  which  has  worked  under  the  scales.     After 


PREPARING    FOWLS    FOR   THE    SHOW  315 

the  shanks  and  toes  have  been  cleaned,  the  fowl  must  be  kept 
in  a  pen  or  coop  with  clean  litter,  and  not  allowed  to  run  on 
the  dirt.  Birds  with  yellow  shanks  should  be  kept  off  of 
unsodded  heavy  clay  land  if  possible,  and  also  away  from 
coal  ashes,  as  both  these  have  a  bleaching  effect  and  are 
likely  to  cause  the  fowls  to  have  too  light-colored  shanks. 

Washing. — All  white  birds,  or  birds  having  much  white  in 
their  plumage,  should  be  washed.  This  is  necessary  in  order 
to  clean  the  plumage  and  is  beneficial  also  because  of  the 
fluffing  effect  which  it  has  on  the  feathers,  which  improves 
the  appearance  of  the  bird.  Because  of  this  fluffing  effect 
and  the  brightening  of  the  colors,  many  breeders  wash 
colored  as  well  as  white  birds.  Other  breeders  of  colored 
varieties  feel  that  by  giving  the  birds  a  conditioning  pen, 
where  they  can  exercise  in  plenty  of  clean  straw,  not  too 
long,  they  will  clean  themselves  satisfactorily  and  secure  a 
natural  bloom  to  the  plumage,  which  is  superior  to  washed 
plumage.  Games,  in  which  closeness  and  hardness  of 
feather  are  desired,  are,  of  course,  never  washed. 

Washing  should  be  done  after  training  is  practically  com- 
pleted, as  the  birds  should  be  handled  as  little  as  possible 
after  they  are  washed.  Washing  should  be  done  two  or 
three  days  before  the  birds  are  shipped.  Use  rain  water  or 
snow  water,  if  possible,  as  it  is  preferable  to  hard  water. 
Many  hard  waters  also  contain  iron  or  some  other  stain 
which  will  have  a  disastrous  effect  upon  the  plumage.  If 
hard  water,  known  to  be  free  from  stain  is  to  be  used,  it 
may  be  softened  with  borax  or  ammonia.  The  washing 
should  be  done  in  a  room,  the  temperature  of  which  is  about 
70  to  75  degrees.  Ordinary  washtubs  are  suitable  for 
washing  the  birds,  as  they  are  roomy.  Three  or  four  tubs 
should  be  used.  They  should  be  filled  about  two-thirds  full 
of  water  which  is  about  103  degrees  in  temperature.  Work 
up  a  good  lather  in  the  water,  using  a  sponge  for  this  pur- 
pose, then,  holding  the  bird  with  the  legs  in  the  left  hand 
and  with  the  right  hand  on  the  back,  across  the  wings,  lower 


316  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

it  into  the  water.  Sponge  off  the  head,  wattles  and  comb, 
so  as  to  remove  all  dirt.  Gently  raise  and  lower  the  bird 
in  the  water  until  the  plumage  is  thoroughly  wet,  then  lather 
with  castile  or  other  good,  pure  soap.  Wetting  all  parts  of 
the  plumage  thoroughly  before  washing  is  of  the  utmost 
importance.  A  thorough  soaking  is  necessary  to  accomplish 
this,  and  frequently  when  it  is  believed  that  the  wetting  is 
complete,  dry  parts  of  the  feathers  next  the  body  will  be 
found  on  opening  up  the  plumage.  Failure  to  wet  the 
plumage  thoroughly  before  washing  is  likely  to  result  in 
breaking  or  injuring  the  feathers.  When  the  bird  is  well 
lathered,  the  feathers  may  be  worked  over  very  thoroughly, 
always  working  the  hands  with  the  feathers  and  not  against 
them.  In  this  way  the  feathers  may  be  thoroughly  washed 
without  danger  of  injury.  The  lather  should  then  be  washed 
out  and  the  lathering  repeated  a  couple  of  times,  or  until  the 
plumage  is  clean.  After  the  last  lathering,  the  soap  should 
be  washed  out  as  well  as  possible  and  the  bird  then  trans- 
ferred to  tub  No.  2.  Here  the  feathers  should  be  worked 
over  again  in  an  effort  to  get  the  soap  thoroughly  out.  The 
bird  is  then  transferred  to  tub  No.  3,  where  it  is  carefully 
rinsed  again.  It  is  necessary  to  make  sure  that  all  of  the 
soap  is  out  of  the  plumage  before  the  bird  is  taken  out  of 
this  water,  and  it  is  well  to  have  a  fourth  tub  in  which  the 
bird  can  again  be  rinsed  to  make  sure.  If  any  soap  is  left  in 
the  feathers,  they  will  not  dry  out  right,  but  tend  to  be 
sticky  and  will  not  fluff  out  well. 

Remove  the  bird  from  the  rinsing  tub,  letting  the  water 
run  off  and  pressing  out  as  much  as  possible  by  running  the 
hand  over  the  surface  of  the  feathers.  A  turkish  towel 
should  then  be  used  to  blot  up  moisture  from  the  bird,  but 
never  rub  the  feathers  with  the  towel,  as  this  may  break  or 
injure  them.  The  bird  is  next  placed  in  the  dripping  cage. 
This  is  a  cage  with  a  wire  bottom  to  allow  the  water  to  drip 
away.  Needless  to  say,  this  cage  and  any  others  used  after 
the  bird  is  washed  must  be  perfectly  clean.    The  cage  should 


PREPARINf'.    FOWLS    FOR    THE    SHOW  317 

also  be  large  enough  to  allow  the  bird  to  shake  himself  and 
to  flap  his  wings,  as  this  will  hasten  the  drying  process.  A 
stove  with  a  brisk  fire  is  necessary  in  the  drying  room,  and 
the  dripping  cage  should  be  placed  near  enough  to  the  fire 
so  that  the  bird  is  in  a  temperature  of  about  90  degrees. 

After  the  dripping  has  ceased,  remove  the  bird  to  a  cage 
with  clean  shavings  in  the  bottom.  Over  the  shavings  should 
be  placed  a  paper,  which  will  prevent  the  shavings  from 
becoming  damp  and  sticking  to  the  plumage,  which  might 
discolor  it.  The  cage  is  left  near  enough  to  the  fire  to  keep 
the  bird  warm  while  drying.  If  the  temperature  is  too  low. 
the  bird  will  shiver,  when  he  should  be  moved  nearer.  If 
too  high,  the  bird  will  pant,  when  he  should  be  moved 
further  away.  This  should  proceed  at  a  regular  and  fairly 
rapid  rate.  If  left  too  near  the  fire,  the  drying  may  be  too 
rapid  and  this  may  cause  the  feathers  to  curl.  IMany  con- 
ditioners help  the  drying  of  the  tail  and  other  portions  of 
the  plumage  which  tend  to  dry  slowly  by  fanning  them. 
This  also  helps  in  the  fluffing  out  of  the  feathers  and  gives 
a  fine  finish  to  the  birds.  An  electric  fan  is  very  useful  for 
this  purpose.  AMiile  fanning,  the  feathers  should  be  lifted 
and  spread,  to  hasten  drying. 

When  the  bird  is  dried,  he  should  gradually  be  accus- 
tomed to  a  lower  temperature,  so  that  he  will  not  feel  the 
change  so  greatly  when  shipped  and  will  not  be  so  likely  to 
catch  cold.  After  washing,  the  birds  should  be  handled  as 
little  as  possible,  and  the  litter  used  in  the  coop  or  pen  kept 
clean  by  changing  as  often  as  necessary,  so  as  not  to  soil 
the  plumage. 

Bluing  white  birds. — It  used  to  be  common  to  blue  while 
birds  after  washing.  This  was  accomplished  by  adding 
bluing  to  the  final  rinsing  water  in  about  the  amount  usually 
used  for  bluing  clothes.  Many  birds  are  spoiled,  however, 
by  the  use  of  too  much  bluing  and  also  by  getting  a  streaky 
eflfect,  so  that  the  custom  is  not  nearly  as  prevalent  as 
formerly. 


MS  THE    MATING    AXD    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

Bleaching  and  cleaning. — It  is  very  common  practice  to 
bleach  and  cleanse  the  plumage  of  white  birds  after  washing 
by  the  use  of  peroxide.  This  should  never  be  attempted 
except  in  the  case  of  birds  that  are  entirely  white.  Tech- 
nically, this  may  be  held  to  be  faking,  but  actually  it  is  so 
commonly  employed  that  it  can  hardly  be  so  considered,  and 
every  conditioner  of  white  birds  should  know  how  it  is  done. 
This  process  is  supposed  to  bleach  out  creaminess  to  some 
extent  and  is  also  valuable  in  removing  stains  and  cleansing 
the  plumage.    It  will  not  take  out  brassiness. 

The  time  to  use  the  peroxide  is  when  the  feathers  on  top 
of  the  head  begin  to  fluff  out.  Warm  peroxide  is  more 
effective  than  cold,  and  it  can  readily  be  warmed  by  remov- 
ing the  stopper  of  the  bottle  and  standing  the  bottle  in  a  pail 
of  warm  water.  Pour  the  peroxide  into  a  large,  shallow 
earthenware  dish,  such  as  the  old-fashioned  washbowl.  Lay 
the  bird  on  his  back  in  the  peroxide  and  press  the  wings  and 
tail  down  in  the  fluid.  Turn  the  bird  on  each  side  likewise, 
and  be  sure  that  the  peroxide  comes  in  contact  with  all  parts 
of  the  plumage,  but  particularly  that  of  the  hackle,  back, 
wings,  shoulders,  saddle  and  tail.  A  sponge  is  also  helpful 
in  applying  the  peroxide,  as  the  liquid  can  be  taken  up  in 
the  sponge  and  squeezed  out  at  the  point  desired  so  as  to 
run  over  the  plumage.  Place  the  bird  back  in  the  cage  and 
allow  to  dry. 

Other  care  of  plumage. — In  plumage  where  a  high  gloss 
or  sheen  is  desired,  rubbing  with  a  silk  cloth  will  enhance 
this.  It  is  said  that  the  appearance  of  the  plumage  of  a 
black  bird  can  be  improved  by  rubbing  with  silk  dipped  in 
vinegar.  Rubbing  the  plumage  of  black  or  red  birds  with 
a  flannel  cloth  dampened  with  cocoanut  oil  will  impart  to  it 
a  very  high  gloss.  Do  not,  however,  use  so  much  oil  as  to 
make  the  plumage  oily.  The  plumage  should  be  carefully 
gone  over  for  the  purpose  of  plucking  any  off-colored  body 
feathers,  such  as  black  feathers  in  Barred  Rocks.  In  addi- 
tion to  plucking  the  off-colored  body  feathers,  it  is  common 


PREPARING    FOWLS    I  OR    THE    GROW  319 

practice  to  pluck  a  few  of  the  feathers  in  any  body  section 
which  shows  badly  defective  markings,  and  which  in  conse- 
quence mar  the  excellence  of  the  section.  For  example,  a 
few  feathers  showing  badly  broken  barring,  plucked  from 
the  hackle  of  a  Barred  Plymouth  Rock,  or  a  few  feathers 
showing  black  lacing,  plucked  from  the  hackle  of  a  Khode 
Island  Red  male,  may  greatly  improve  the  general  excellence 
of  that  section.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  pluck  too  many 
feathers,  as  this  practice  carried  to  excess  destroys  the 
smoothness  of  feathering  and  greatly  injures  the  appear- 
ance of  a  fowl.  The  main  wing  .or  tail  feathers  are  seldom 
plucked,  as  their  absence  is  rather  heavily  penalized  or  may 
even  disqualify  a  bird.  It  is  therefore  essential  to  select 
birds  for  exhibition  which  are  pretty  sound  in  wing  and 
tail. 

Not  infrequently  the  tail  feathers  may  grow  too  long  to 
make  a  nicely  balanced  tail.  In  other  cases,  the  tail  feathers 
may  be  broken,  or  otherwise  injured.  They  may  be  pulled 
and  new  feathers  allowed  to  grow  in.  About  six  weeks  are 
usually  allowed  for  the  growth  of  such  new  feathers. 

Shipping  birds  to  the  show.— It  is  desirable  to  have  the 
birds  arrive  as  short  a  time  before  the  show  opens  as  pos- 
sible. Otherwise  the  birds  become  tired  out  and  do  not  show 
to  as  good  advantage.  Therefore  ship  as  late  as  is  safe. 
Shipment  is  by  express,  of  course,  and  should  be  fullv  pre- 
paid. During  shipment  the  birds  must  be  comfortable. 
This  means  that  the  coops  must  be  large  enough  to  allow  the 
birds  to  stand  erect  and  to  stand  in  a  natural  position.  If 
the  coop  is  too  small,  a  bird  may  greatly  injure  its  tail  by 
constantly  hitting  or  rubbing  it  against  the  sides  of  the  coop. 
A  coop  12  inches  wide,  22  inches  long  and  25  inches  high  is 
of  suitable  size.  For  females  a  coop  may  be  used,  if  desired, 
of  the  same  dimensions,  except  that  it  is  only  18  inches  high. 

Coops  are  usually  made  of  light  wood,  but  are  sometimes 
used  which  are  made  of  pasteboard,  or  which  have  cloth 
sides.    The  sides  are  tight,  to  protect  the  fowls  from  drafts. 


320  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    POULTRY 

In  mild  weather  the  top  of  the  coop  may  be  merely  slatted, 
but  in  winter  it  should  have  a  wooden  or  muslin  top.  \Miere 
wooden  tops  are  used,  ventilation  holes  in  the  sides  of  the 
coop  near  the  top  are  necessary  to  prevent  the  birds  from 
suffocating.  Where  muslin  is  used,  a  space  of  about  an 
inch  should  be  left  on  each  side  between  the  muslin  and  the 
side  of  the  coop  for  ventilation.  Only  a  single  bird  should 
be  shipped  in  a  coop  or  compartment.  The  shipping  coop 
should  be  constructed  so  that  it  can  be  securely  fastened 
shut,  but  at  the  same  time  is  easy  to  open.  This  is  especially 
important  when  one  is  unable  to  attend  the  show  to  uncrate 
the  birds,  for  coops  not  so  constructed  are  often  so  badly 
damaged  in  getting  them  open  that  they  are  not  suitable 
or  safe  to  use  in  returning  the  birds  from  the  show. 

The  shipping  coop  must  be  clean.  If  it  is  not,  the  plumage 
will  be  soiled.  Wipe  out  the  inside  of  the  coop  carefully  to 
make  sure  that  no  dust  has  accumulated.  Clean  dry  shavings 
should  be  placed  in  the  bottom  of  the  coop  to  absorb  the 
moisture  from  the  droppings,  and  thus  help  to  keep  the 
fowl  clean.  If  the  shipment  is  short,  and  especially  if  the 
owner  is  to  attend  the  show  and  see  to  the  uncooping  and 
feeding  of  his  birds,  it  is  best  to  omit  any  feed.  Other- 
wise a  small  amount  can  be  put  in  the  coop,  never  a  large 
supply.  No  water  should  be  provided  unless  the  fowl  is  to 
be  two  days  or  more  on  the  road.  Water  in  a  coop  will 
surely  be  slopped,  and  this  will  make  the  shavings  damp  and 
may  soil  the  bird's  plumage.  A  mangel,  or  something  simi- 
lar, placed  in  the  coop,  will  supply  the  bird  with  necessary 
moisture  and  is  preferable  to  water.  Every  detail  should  be 
carefully  attended  to  which  will  help  to  put  the  bird  in  the 
show  room  in  the  best  possible  condition.  The  good  results 
of  a  lot  of  time  and  effort  spent  in  conditioning  birds  may 
be  wholly  or  partially  nullified  by  a  little  carelessness  or 
oversight. 

At  best,  and  particularly  in  winter,  there  is  danger  of  the 
birds  catching  cold.    This  is  enhanced  if  the  coops  are  placed 


PREPARING    FOWLS    FOR    THE    SHOW  321 

next  the  steam  pipes  in  the  express  cars,  where  the  birds 
become  overheated.  To  avoid  this,  if  possible,  tack  a  notice 
on  the  coop  asking  the  express  company  not  to  put  the  coops 
in  such  a  place.  The  coops  should,  of  course,  be  plainly 
and  fully  addressed,  and  the  owner's  name  and  address 
should  likewise  be  stenciled  on  them. 

It  is  by  all  means  desirable  to  travel  on  the  same  train  with 
the  birds,  if  possible,  particularly  if  any  transfers  are  neces- 
sary. In  this  way  a  person  may  often  prevent  delays  and 
also  see  that  the  coops  are  properly  placed  in  the  cars. 

Care  of  fowls  in  the  show. — It  is  by  all  means  desirable 
to  go  to  the  show  to  do  one's  own  uncrating,  and  cooping, 
and  to  care  for  the  fowls.  The  show  management  does  the 
best  that  it  can,  but  has  so  many  birds  to  see  to  that  it  is 
impossible  for  it  to  give  the  care  and  attention  that  the  owner 
can  if  he  is  on  the  ground.  After  locating  the  shipping  coops 
and  the  show  coops  which  are  assigned  to  the  birds,  the  first 
thing  to  do  is  to  effect  the  transfer  of  the  birds  from  the 
former  to  the  latter.  Wipe  out  the  coops  to  make  sure  they 
are  clean  before  putting  the  birds  in.  It  will  often  save 
sickness  to  clean  and  disinfect  the  drinking  and  feed  cups 
before  letting  the  fowls  use  them. 

Often  birds  which  have  seemed  to  be  tame  will  become 
confused  and  frightened  at  the  noise  and  movement  in  the 
show  room,  and  may  jump  against  the  top  of  the  coop  in 
an  effort  to  get  out.  This  is  likely  to  injure  the  comb.  A 
newspaper  or  other  covering,  placed  on  top  of  the  coop,  will 
stop  this,  as  the  birds  see  no  chance  of  escape  in  that 
direction. 

It  is  desirable  for  the  exhibitor  to  lock  the  coops  contain- 
ing his  birds.  This  will  prevent  individuals  from  taking  the 
birds  out  of  the  coops  and  handling  them,  a  practice  which 
may  lead  to  injury.  It  may  also  prevent  the  loss  of  birds, 
as  thefts  occasionally  occur. 

Locking  the  coops  will  necessitate  tending  to  the  feeding 
of  the  birds,  but  most  exhibitors  prefer  to  do  this  anyway. 


.•522  THE    MATING    AND    BREEDING    OF    TOULTRY 

Do  not  overfeed.  Two  light  feeds  of  grain  a  day  are  suffi- 
cient. There  is  more  danger  of  overfeeding  than  of  under- 
feeding. A  little  green  feed  may  also  be  given.  A  small 
piece  of  apple,  turnip,  or  other  vegetable  once  in  two  days 
is  sufficient.  A  bit  of  raw  meat,  such  as  hamburg  steak,  may 
be  fed  as  well,  if  desired.  Water  should  be  given  three 
times  a  day  and  left  so  that  they  can  drink  for  about  half 
an  hour.  Then  it  is  best  to  take  it  away,  as  it  is  likely  to  be 
spilled  and  will  make  the  coop  damp  and  dirty.  A  fresh 
supply  of  shavings  should  be  put  in  the  coop  whenever  they 
become  scanty  or  dirty. 

As  nearly  immediately  preceding  the  judging  as  possible, 
the  head,  comb,  face  and  wattles  should  be  wiped  off  with 
a  mixture  composed  of  one-half  alcohol  and  one-half  sweet 
oil.  This  will  help  to  brighten  up  these  parts.  If  they  are 
quite  pale,  massaging  with  the  fingers  will  also  be  found 
beneficial.  At  the  same  time  the  shanks  and  toes  should  be 
wiped  with  the  same  mixture  to  brighten  them. 

Covering  the  top  of  the  coop  at  night  will  darken  it  and 
enable  the  fowls  to  sleep  better.  It  may  also  protect  the 
fowls  from  marked  changes  in  temperature,  if  the  heat  is 
allowed  to  go  down  in  the  hall. 

Treatment  of  birds  after  the  show. — After  the  show 
closes,  it  is  best  to  attend  to  the  cooping  of  your  own  birds 
and  to  see  that  they  reach  the  express  company  representa- 
tives' hands.  This  will  insure  prompt  shipment.  Be  sure 
that  your  coops  are  properly  labeled  for  their  return  jour- 
ney. Return  shipment  should,  of  course,  be  made  by  the 
same  express  company  in  order  to  take  advantage  of  any 
lower  rate. 

After  the  birds  arrive  home,  it  is  well  to  keep  them 
separate  from  the  rest  of  the  fowls  for  a  few  days,  to  make 
sure  that  no  disease  develops  before  they  are  put  in  the 
breeding  pens. 

Making  entries. — Make  entries  as  early  as  possible,  so 
as  to  avoid  the  danger  of  their  not  arriving  before  the  entries 


PREPARING    FOWLS    FOR   THE    SHOW  323 

close  or  of  their  being  refused  on  account  of  lack  of  room. 
It  is  very  desirable  to  make  more  than  a  single  entry  in  a 
class.  Often  the  owner's  judgment  may  be  faulty  and  the 
bird  he  selects  as  the  best  might  not  win,  while  if  he  entered 
two  or  three,  one  of  the  others  might  do  so.  Also,  judges 
have  individuality  in  their  work,  and  when  competition  is 
close  a  bird  might  be  placed  under  one  judge,  while  another 
would  be  placed  instead  under  another  judge.  Therefore, 
the  making  of  more  than  one  entry  where  the  birds  are 
nearly  equal  in  quality  betters  the  exhibitor's  chance  to  win. 
In  making  several  entries,  it  is  well  to  make  them  at  two 
or  more  separate  times.  The  entry  numbers,  and  conse- 
quently the  coops,  are  assigned  in  the  order  the  entries  are 
received,  so  that  by  making  the  entries  at  different  times 
position  will  be  secured  in  different  locations  in  the  class. 
This  may  prove  to  be  of  considerable  importance,  as  the 
light  may  be  better  in  one  part  of  the  class  than  in  another. 
In  shows  where  the  coops  are  double  tiered,  if  the  entries 
for  a  class  are  made  at  different  times,  at  least  two  should 
be  made  together  each  time,  to  insure  one  of  the  birds  being 
placed  in  the  upper  tier  of  coops,  where  the  light  is  better. 


tlan*3  ^ms  O  Tl 


INDEX 


Page 

A 

Abdomen,   flexibility  of    60 

Acquired     character     6 

Age  of  breeders    47 

Alternating   males    47 

American  class    69 

Buckeye ...129 

Dominique     121 

Java    117 

Pymouth    Rock    69 

Rhode   Island    Red 123 

Wyandotte    97 

American    standard    of    perfection, 

IX,  33 

Ancona    188 

breeding  tendencies   ..188,  189,   190 

color  of 188,   189,   190 

defects   in    190 

description   of    188 

Rose  Comb    191 

Single  Comb 188 

single   mating    188 

Andalusian,   Blue    181 

illustrating  Mendelism   16 

Angular   appearance  of   Dorking.. 192 
Angular     joints,      free     from     in 

Cornish    208 

Asint'c   class    131 

Brahma    131 

Cochin    146 

Langshan    151 

Atavism 4 


B 


Bacit,   see   breed    concerned 

Back,  crooked  in  Barred  Plymouth 

Rocks    87 

Bad  tendencies    33 

Bantam,    see    ornamental    Bantam 

and   Game  Bantam 
Bantams,  Bearded  White  Polish... 300 
Barring,       of      Barred       Plymouth 

Reck    76-87 

of   Campine    261 

of  Dominique    121,   122 

Barred   Plymouth   Rock    7.5 

breeding  of 75 

breeding   tendencies    75-84 

cockerel   mating    75 

color  of    75-87 

defects  in  treeding 80,  87 

example  of  like  produces  like 2 


Page 
example     of     sex-linked     inher- 
itance  18 

off-colored  feathers  in    75,  87 

pullet   mating    80 

Smutty  color  of 76.  78,  82 

surface   color   of    78,  80 

under  color  of 76,  78,  82 

Beak,    black    in,    of    Barred    Plym- 
outh Rock   74 

of  Rhode  Island  Red   128 

Beak  color  in  culling    60 

Beard  of  Faverolles   258 

of  Houdan    253 

of  Polish   232 

Bearded  Buff  Laced  Polish    237 

Bearded  Golden  Polish    233 

breeding  tendencies    233-235 

color    233-235 

color    of    crest    and    body    com- 
pared     234 

defects  in    235 

single  mating  of 233 

Bearded  Silver  Polish   235 

breeding  tendencies   235 

color  of 235 

defects   in    235 

single  mating  of   235 

Bearded  White  Polish   235 

breeding  tendencies    235-237 

defects   in    237 

single  mating  of 235 

Bearded  White   Polish   Bantam 300 

breeding,     see     Bearded     White 

Polish 235 

defects   in    300 

Beef  scrap,    feeding  of 308,  314 

Beefy  comb  in   Leghorn    163,  170 

Beetle  green  in  Black  Hamburg.  .  .251 

Birchen    Game    270 

color     of     270 

description   of    270 

Birchen  Game  Bantam 277 

single  mating  of    277 

Birchen     markings     in    Gray    Jap- 
anese Bantam   299 

Black  in  Barred  Plymouth  Rock,  75,  87 

in  Brown  Leghorn   167 

in  Buckeye   130 

in  Columbian   Plymouth  Rock... 97 

in    Columbian    Wyandotte^ 116 

in  Dark  Brahma   145 

in  Red   Pyle  Leghorn    174 

in  Rhode  Island  Red   128 

in  White  Langshan   155 

in  White  Wyandotte   109 


326 


INDEX 


Page 

Black   Breasted  Red  Game   267 

color  of 267 

crossing  on   Golden   Duck   Wing 

Game    270 

crossing  on  Red  Pyle  Game.... 271 

defscls  in   267,  268 

double   mating  of   267,  268 

Black  Breasted  Red  Game  Bantam,  275 

color  of 275,  276 

crossing  on   Golden   Duck   Wing 

Game  Bantam   276 

double  mating  of 275,  276 

Black  Breasted  Red  Malay 281 

breeding   tendencies    281,  282 

color   of    281,  282 

defects  in    282 

description  of 281,  282 

Black    Breasted    Red    Malay    Ban- 
tam    284 

description   of    284 

Bh.ck  Cochin    ; 150 

color  of 150 

defects  in    151 

description   of    150 

single  mating  of 150 

Black  Cochin  Bantam 297 

breeding  tendencies   297 

color  of 297 

single   mating   of  ■ 297 

Black    in    crest    of    White    Crested 

Black    Polish     233 

Black   in   face.    White   Polish    Ban- 
tam      300 

Black  Game 274 

breeding  tendencies   274 

color  of   274 

single  mating  of 274 

Black  Game  Bantam 279 

breeding  of 279 

defects   in    279 

Black   Hamburg    251 

color  of 251 

defects   in    252 

double  mating  of    251 

single  mating  of 251 

Black  Japanese  Bantam 299 

defects   in    299 

single  mating  of 299 

Black  Java 118 

color  of   118 

defects  in  breeding   119 

single  mating  of 118 

Blcck  Langshan    , 121 

breeding  tendencies   154 

color   of    153,  154 

defects   in    155 

single  mating  of 153 

Black   Leghorn    171 

breeding  tendencies   172 

color  of   172 

defects  in    172 

single  mating  of 171 

Black  matings,  common  defects  in.. 37 

Black  Minorca 176 

color  of   177 


Page 

defects  in    178 

description  of 177 

Rose  Comb   178 

Single  Comb 176 

single    mating    of    176 

Black  Orpington 205 

breeding  tendencies    2J5 

description    of    205 

single  mating  of 205 

Black  Spanish   1.9 

Black   Sumatra    280 

color  of    2  0 

description   of    280 

double  mating  of   280 

single  mating  of 280 

Black-Tailed  Japanese  Bantam   ...298 

breeding    tendencies    29S 

single  mating  of 298 

Black    ticking,    see    ticking 

Black-tipped     feathers     in     Barred 

Plymouth     Rock     84 

in  Dark  Cornish   214 

in  Polish   234 

in  Speckled  Sussex 224 

Black  in  wings.  Buff  Leghorn,  Buff 
Minorca,    see    Buff    Plymouth 

Rock 89 

Buff  Polish   238 

Black   Wyandotte   110 

color  of    110 

defects   in    110 

single  mating  of 110 

Bleaching       and      cleaning       show 

fowls     318 

Bleaching  of  shanks 315 

Blood — introducing  new 28 

Blood   lines — establishment  of    34 

Bloom    307,  308 

Blue  Andaluslan   181 

breeding  of    183-187 

breeding  tendencies    183 

concerning  Mendel's  Law   16 

Club  of   America    183 

defects   in    187 

description    of    181 

double    mating    of    186 

single  mating  of 184,  185 

Blue   Black   in   Colored   Dorkings.  .198 
in  Red  Caps   201 

Blue  in  ear  lobe  of  Silkies 304 

in    face.    Bearded    White    Polish 

Bantam     300 

skin.      Bearded      White      Polish 
Bantam    300 

Blue  Orpington 207 

breeding     tendencies     207 

color  of   207 

single   mating  of    207 

Blue  undercolor,   Columbian   Plym- 
outh Rocks   ,96 

Columbian  Wyandottes 114 

Light  Brahmas   136 

White  Laced  Red  Cornish 218 

Bluing  White  Birds  317 

Body,  see  breed  concerned 


INDEX 


327 


Page 

Booted  White  Bantam    291 

breeding  tendencies   291 

c-jor    of    291.  292 

description  of 291,  292 

Boots — Mi'le     Fleur     Booted     Ban- 
lam   301 

Brahma    131 

breeding   tendencies    131-134 

Dark  Brahma 140 

defects   in    134 

description  of 131-134 

feathering  of   134 

feathered   shanks    134 

Light  Brahma 134 

Brahma  Bantam 292 

breeding    tendencies     292 

Dark  Brahma  Bantam   293 

Light  Brahma  Bantam 293 

Brassiness     in     Barred     Plymouth 

Rocks    82 

in  Black-Tailed    Japanese    Ban- 
tam    298 

in  Blue  Orpington 207 

in  Columbian  Wyandotte 113 

in   Light  Brahma    137 

in  Light   Brahma   Bantam    293 

in  Mottled  Java    119 

in  Silver  Penciled  Wyandottes.  .114 

in  Silver  Leghorn    173 

in      Silver     Penciled      Plymouth 

Rocks    92 

in  White-Crested  Black  Polish,  233 

in    white    varieties,    109,    149,    155, 

168,    178.   20r,,   217,   237,  251.   2-\, 

279.   290,  292,   297.  238,   30G,  309, 

310 

Breast,  see  breed  concerned 

Breast  crooked  in  Game 264,  2G6 

lack  of  in  Langshan   153 

in  Leghorn   163 

in  Plymouth  Rocks  ....69 
in  Rhode  Island  Red...  128 
in  Wyandotte    102,  108 

Breeders,  age  of  47 

effect  of  showing  on   313 

purchase  of    29 

tested,  use  of 39 

Bree<ling  birds  with  defects   35 

birds  with  disqualifications 36 

condition   49 

fixed  plan   for 33 

for  increased  egg  production.  ..  .54 

from   pen   pedigreed  flocks    62 

opportunities   for,    in   poultry.  .VII 

practices  of    19 

principles   of    1 

from   trap-nested  stock    63 

tendencies   19 

See  also  individual  varieties 

terms,   definition   of    XIII 

from  untrapped  flock    57 

Bronze  in  Black  Langshan   155 

in  Silver  Polish 235 

Brownish  color  in  Andalusian  .,..187 


Page 
in   Barred  Plymouth   Rocks, 

76,  82,  84 

Brown  in  Black  Cochin   150 

in  Dark  Brahma 145 

Light  Brahma   140 

Partridge  Plymouth  Rocks  ....95 
Silver  Penc-'led  Wyandotte  ....114 
Silver  Penciled  Plymouth  Rocks,  92 
Silver  Spangled  Hamburg 244 

Broun    Leghorn    163 

breeding  of 163 

breeding   tendencies    163-16" 

color  of    165-167 

Dark  Brown  Leghorn 165 

defects   in    167 

Light  Bi'own   Leghorn    166 

Rose  Comb 167 

Single  Comb 163 

Brown  Red  Game 268 

color  of 268,  269 

defects   in 269 

double    mating    of    268 

single  mating  of 268 

Brown   Red   Game  Bantam   276 

defects   in    276 

double  mating  of    276 

single  mating   of    276 

Buckeye 129 

breeding   tendencies    129,   130 

color  of   130 

defects   in    130 

descrir)ti(  n   of    129 

mating  of   129 

pea  comb 129 

Buckle-l  h(  ck  joints  in  Game 265 

Buff  Cochin    149 

defects    in    149 

single  mating  of 149 

Buff  Cochin  Bantam   294 

breeding   tendencies    294,  295 

color  of   295 

defects   in    295 

single  mating  of 295 

Buff  color  in  White  Leghorn   169 

Buff  Laced  Polish 237 

breeding  tendencies    238 

color  of   238 

defects   in    238 

single  mating  of 238 

Buff  Laced  Polish  Bantam 300 

breeding     of,     see     Buff     Laced 

Polish 237 

defects   in    300 

Buff    Leghorn    170 

breeding  tendencies    170,  171 

color    of    171 

defects  in    171 

double  mating  of   171 

Rose  Comb 171 

Single   Comb    170 

single  mating  of 170 

Buff  matings.  common  defects  in... 37 

Buff  Minorca   179 

breeding  tendencies   179 

defects  in    179 


328 


INDEX 


Page 

single  mating    1"9 

Buff  Orpington    203 

breeding  tendencies    203,  204 

color  of 203,  204 

defects   in    205 

single   mating    203 

Buff  Plymouth  Rock   89 

breeding  of 89-91 

color  of    89-91 

defects   in    91 

double  mating  of   90 

single  mating  of 89 

Buff   Wyandotte    109 

single  mating  of 109 

"Bull  head"  in  Games 263 

Buying  stock   29 

c 

Campine    259 

breeding  tendencies    259 

defects   in    259 

description   of    259 

Golden    261 

Silver    261 

Characters — acquired     6 

dominant     14 

Chocolate  color  in  Buckeye 130 

Coarse  comb  in  Anconas    190 

Blue  Andalusians   187 

Brown  Leghorns   167 

Buff  Leghorns   170 

Red  Pyle  Leghorns    173 

Silver  Leghorns    173 

Cochin    146 

Black    150 

breeding   tendencies    146,  147 

Buff    149 

defects   in    147 

description   of    146 

feeding 147 

Partridge    147 

White 149 

Cochin  Bantam 294 

Black    297 

breeding  tendencies    294 

Buff     294 

defects   in    294 

description   of    294 

Partridge    296 

White 296 

Cockerel  mating    32 

Cockerels — management   of   exhibi- 
tion    309 

separating  from  pullets    308 

Color — see  breed  or  variety  concerned 

Color — influence  of  sire  and  dam  on,  9 

Colored  Dorking 197 

breeding  tendencies   197 

description   of    197 

single  mating  of 197 

Columbian     matings,     common    de- 

fec's  in    38 

Columbian    Plymouth    Rock    i>3 


Page 

cockerel  mating 96 

color  of    95-97 

defects  in 95,  97 

lacing   of    96,  97 

pullet    mating    96 

single  mating 95 

Columbian    Wyandotte    114 

cockerel   mating  of    115 

color  of    114-116 

defects   in    116 

pullet  mating 113 

single  mating 114 

Comli — see  single  comb,  rose  comb, 
pea  comb 
points  of — see  single  comb  varieties 
Comb — beefy  in  Leghorn    ....163,   170 

condition  of  when  culling   59 

coarse   167,   170,   172,   173,   187 

dubbed    6,  263 

double     points    of 71,  80,   163 

flat  in  Anconas 191 

flat  in  Leghorns    171,   173 

leaf  in   Polish    229 

leaf  in   Polish  Bantams    300 

of  Silkies 304 

too  many  points  in  Ancona  . .  .  ,190 
too  many  points  in  Leghorn  ...183 

Combination  mating    32 

of  White  Leghorns 169 

Conditioning  head  parts,  308,  313,  322 
Confinement — free  range  versus   ...49 

Constitutional  vigor 54 

Contamination 11 

Continental  class    259 

Campine    259 

Control  of  sex 9 

Coops — shipping,   for  shows  birds,  319 

size  of    312 

Cooped  birds — feeding  of 313 

Cooping  birds  for  training    311 

danger  of  overcooping   313 

Corn— White    309 

Yellow    309 

Cornish    208 

as  a  meat  type   208 

breeding  tendencies    208-212 

Dark  Cornish 212 

defects   in    212 

descript-on    of    208-212 

White  Cornish 216 

White  Laced  Red  Cornish 217 

Correlation   8 

Cotton  undercolor  in  Barred  Plym- 
outh Rocks   80 

Par.ridge  P.ymouth  Rocks    94 

"Cow  hocked"  legs   in  Malays    ....2S1 

Creaminess  in  Siver  Gray  Dorking,  195 

in    white    varieties,    87,     109,     155, 

1G8,   206,   217,   237,   251,   274,   309 

Crest,  rbsence  of,   in  La  Fleche.  .  .256 

i-oj-^nc?    of,    in    S:ilmon    Faver- 

ollcs    258 

Bl:  ck    in,    White    Crested    Back 

Polish 233 

chanjr?  of  lacing  in,  after  moult 


INDEX 


329 


Pag€ 

Bearded  Golden  Polish   234 

of  Crevecoeur    255 

of  Houdan 253 

of  Polish    230.  231 

of  Silkies 304 

split   in    230 

of  Sultans 305 

white   in.   Bearded   Golden    Pol- 
ish   235 

white  in,  Houdan 255 

Ci-evecoeur   255 

breeding  tendencies   255 

defects   in    255 

description   of 255 

Crooked         toes         in         Plymouth 

^        Rocks    74,  87 

Crooked    back   in    Barred    Pymouth 

Rocks   87 

breast  in  game '264 

Crossing    26 

Black   Breasted   Red,  on   Golden 

Duckwing  Game 270 

Black   Breasted  Red,   on   Golden 

Duckwing  Game  Bantam 276 

Black     Breasted     Red,     on     Red 

Pyle  Game  271 

"Crow-headed"  in  Barred  Plymouth 

Rocks 71 

Brahma 134 

Cu'l'pg    V.V.Vl'.  58 

Cush:on,      absence      of,      in      Cor- 

•    "t^u-.'-V:, 209.  216 

in  White  Plymouth  Rocks 88 


Dam,    influence    of    on     type    and 

color 9 

Dark   Brahma ^140 

breeding  tendencies    '.  140-145 

color  of    140-143 

defects   in    I45 

douUe  mating  of  .!!llO 

single  mating  of !  .  .1 14 

Dark  Brahma  Bantam . .  .  !293 

defects   in    ' .  '2'J3 

double  mat-ng  of '  * '  '293 

Dr.rk    Brown   Leghorn    ! .  .    185 

Dark  Cornish '208 

breeding  tendencies    208-'^l^ 

^°-°^  of    208-211 

defects   m    212 

single  mating  of .  .  .  .*  212"214 

Defects— breeding  birds  with   ....'..35 

development  of,   with  age 308 

likely  to  occur  in  common  color 

matmgs   37 

to  guard  against,  refer  to  breed 
or  variety  concerned 

Deformities,    inheritance  of    6 

Description    of    breeds,    see    breeds 
concerned 

Description   of   matings    46 


Page 
see  also  varieties  concerned 
Disqualifications.      breeding      birds 

with    3g 

Dominant  character   ......  .'.'.'.'.14    16 

Dominique    ' "  '      '191 

^tOloi"  of    ".'.■.■.■.'.■.■.■.12l".  '122 

defects   in    123 

description   of 121 

single  mating  of ....'.'.'..  121 

Dorking ....  .192 

as  a  meat  breed   .' .  '  192 

breeding   tendencies    192,  193 

Colored     '  197 

defects  in    .!!.!.!  193 

description  of '. .  192,   193 

early  hatching  of '. . ,  '  193 

Silver   Gray    104 

White .'::;::i94 

Double  mating 32 

see    also    cockerel    mating'  and 
pullet  mating 
Doulle    mating    of    Barred    Plym- 
outh Rocks   75 

Birchen  Games 270 

Black   Breasted   Red  Game    ]!!!267 
BJack       Breasted       Red       Game 

Bantams    275 

Black  Hambui-g .'  '251 

Black   Sumatra    !!!!!.   280 

Blue  Andalusians   ..",*.'." . .'  .186 

Blue  Orpingtons   .[[  ^207 

Brown    Leghorn    .'..!!!  163 

Brown  Red  Game ,'  "   268 

Brown  Red  Game  Bantam  ...'.'  .'276 

Buff  Cochin  Bantam 295 

Buff  Leghorn '    '171 

BufT  Plymouth   Rocks    ..'.'.'..'.'.'   90 
Coumbian  Plymouth  Rocks  ,  . .  .'   96 

Columbian  Wyandottes 115 

Dark  Brahmas 140 

Dark      Brahma      Bantams,'    see 

Dark   Brahm.a    140 

Golden  Penciled  Hamburg' .  .' .' .'  .'247 

Golden  Wyandotte   107 

Light  Brahma   Bantam,  see  Co- 
lumbian Wyandotte   115 

Partridge  Plymouth  Rock   94 

Red  Pyle  Games   271 

Red  Pyle  Game  Bantams   ....'!  ^277 

Red  Pyle  Leghorn   173 

Red  Sussex   2^7 

Rhode  Island  Reds  ...... .  .  .  .'  \  ^125 

Silver  Penciled  Hambur^s   ...  .248 

Silver  Penciled  Pymouth  Rocks.. 91 
Silver  Penciled  Wyandottes    ...113 

Speckled  Sussex 225,  226 

Doub.'e    points    of    comb    of    Leg- 
horn  ig3 

Plymouth   Rock    '.'.'.  .71    80 

Dov.n  in  Andalusian , .  .'.'.'.'.  .  '187 

example  of  reversion .  ..  .  .        4 

see  stubs 

Dryden.   James— quoted    55 

Drying   washed   fowls    316,  317 

"Duck  Foot"  in  Games   .'.265 


330 


INDEX 


Page 

in   White  Wyandottes   109 

Duck-shaped    tail    in    White    Plym- 
outh   Rock    88 

Dubbed  comb  in  Game 6,  263 


Page 

light  in  Buff  Minorca 179 

light     in     Partridge     Plymouth 
Rock 95 


Ear  lobe,  see  breed  concerned 

Ear  lole,  creaminess  in 162,  310 

peppering   in    162 

red  in,  173,  174,  176,  181,   191,  240, 

290,  304 
white  in,  71,  99,  102,  118,  128,  130, 

201,   203.  211,  221,   304 
yellow   in   162,   167,  170 

Early  hatching   49 

as  concerning  Barred  Plymouth 

Rocks   84 

as  concerning  Dorkings   193 

as    concerning     White     Orping- 
tons   206 

as  influencing  color 310 

as  influencing  size   307 

Eggs,  color  of  in  Campine 259 

tinted  in  Andalusians ...182 

Egg  producing   ability    56 

production,  breeding  for   54 

English  class   192 

Cornish    , 208 

Dorking 192 

Orpington 201 

Red   Cap    199 

Sussex    220 

Entries — making  of,  for  the  show.  .322 

Environment    4 

Exhibition  Game 263 

Birchen  Game   270 

Black  Breasted  Red 267 

Black  Game   274 

breeding   tendencies   263-266 

Brown  Red 268 

defects   in    266 

description  of 263-266 

feeding  of 266 

feeding  when  exhibiting    266 

Golden  Duckwing  Game 269 

management  of 265 

Red  Pyle   271 

Silver  Duckwing  . . , 270 

White 274 

Eye,  see  breed  concerned 

color  of,  see  breed  concerned 

gray  in  Dark  Brahma    145 

gray      in      Rose      Comb      Black 

Bantam    291 

green       in      Barred       Plymouth 

Rock 87 

green  in  Plymouth  Rock 71,  74 

green   in   Wyandotte    102 

light  in  Black  Langshan    154 

light  in  Cochin   147 

light  in   Dominique   123 

light  in  Java   118 

light  in  Leghorn 163 


Face  of  White  Faced  Black  Span- 
ish   180 

white  in — see  White  in  Face 

Fat — feeds  containing 309 

Feathered  shanks  of  Booted  White 

Bantam    292 

Brahma    133 

Cochin    147 

Faverolles    258 

Langshan    153 

Mille  Fleur  Bantam 301 

Sultan    305 

Feathering  of  Brahma 134 

Frizzles    306 

Hamburg 239 

Polish 232 

Silkies    304 

close  in  Cornish   211 

close  in  Game   265 

loose  of  Cochin 146 

loose  of  Cochin  Bantam 294 

loose  of  Dorking 193 

loose  of  Langshan 153 

loose  of  Orpington 203 

off  colored  in  Barred  Plymouth 
Rocks   75 

Feathei*s,  mossy — see  mossy  feathers 
splashed — see  splashed  feathers 
trimming  of 52 

Faverolles — see  Salmon  Faverolles,  258 

Feeds  rich  in  oil 309 

Feeds  and  water  in  shipping  coops,  320 

Feeding  and  management,  growing 

stock 308 

Feeding — as     effecting     close     and 

loose  feathering    314 

birds  to  be  conditioned 314 

Black  Spanish   180 

Cochins    147 

cooped    birds     313 

for  gloss  and  luster 314 

fowls  in  the  show  room 322 

Games    266 

Game  Bantams    275 

Hamburg 240 

white   fowls    309 

Fifth  toe  of  Dorking 193 

Faverolles   258 

Houdan    254 

Silkies    304 

Sultan    305 

Flat  comb  in  Ancona  female 191 

in   Leghorn  female 171,  173 

Flat  shanks  of  Games    265 

of    Wyandottes    102 

Flat  wings  of  Brahma   132 

Fluff,  see  variety  concerned 

of  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks 76 


INDEX 


331 


Page 

of  Wyandotte 101,  102 

Free  ran.ere  versus  confinement   ...  .19 

French  class 253 

Crevecoeurs    255 

Houdan    253 

La  Fleche 256 

Salmon  Faverolles   2o8 

Frizzles    306 

breeding  of 306 

defects;   in    306 

description   of    306 

Frosted  lips  Black  Lanjjshan,  154,  155 
Frosting    in    Bearded    Golden    Pol- 
ish    234 

Dark  Brahma   141,  145 

Golden  Duckwing  Game 269 

Golden  Spangled  Hamburg   ....242 

Golden  Wyandotte 107,  108 

Malay 282 

Sebright  Bantams   286,  287 

Silver  Duckwing   Game    270 

Silver  Gray  Dorking   194 

Silver  Penciled  Plymouth  Rock,  92 

Silver  Penciled  Wyandotte 113 

Silver  Spangled  Hamburg 245 

Silver  Wyandotte    104,  106 

G 

Game  and  Game  Bantam  class 263 

exhibition  Game   263 

Game  Bantam 275 

Birchen    277 

Black    279 

Black  Breasted  Red 275 

breeding  tendencies   275 

Brown    Red    276 

description    of    275 

feeding     275 

Golden  Duckwing 276 

hatching    275 

Red  Pyle 277 

Silver  Duckwing 277 

size  of   275 

White 279 

Gamy  tail — see  pinched  tail 

Genetics 12 

Germinal  material   6 

Gloss  and  luster — feeding  for 314 

Gloss,   securing    318 

Golden    bay   edging   Golden   Wyan- 
dotte   106 

Golden  Campine 261 

breeding  of 261 

color  of 261 

defects   in 262 

Golden  Duckwing  Game 269 

color  of    269,  270 

crossing  with  Black  Red  Game,  270 

defects  in    27C 

single  mating  of 269 

Golden  Duckwing  Game  Bantam.. 2"6 

color  of   276 

crossing  with   Black   Red   Game 
Bantam   276 


Page 

defects  in    276 

single  mating  of 276 

Golden     matings,     common    defects 

in 38 

Golden  Penciled  Hamburg 245 

color  of    245-248 

defects   in    24S 

description  of 245-248 

double  mating  of   ^ 247 

Golden    Polish    233 

Golden  Sebright  Bantam 28  J 

breeding  tendencies   283 

color  of   286 

defects    in    28 1" 

Golden  Spangled  Hamburg  ...240,  252 

breeding  tendencies    240-213 

color  of    240-24:^ 

defects   in 242 

single  mating  of 240 

Golden  Wyandotte   .-.  .  .  106 

color   of    106,   107 

defects  in    108 

description  of 106,  107 

double  mating  of   107 

single  mating  of 106 

Goose  neck  in  Cornish   210 

Grading  up 27 

Gi*ay    color    in    Barred    Plymouth 

Rock 82 

Black  Cochin   150 

Black  Langshan 154,  155 

Black  Wyandotte   110 

Colored  Dorking   197 

Gray  Japanese  Bantam    209 

Rose  Comb   Black  Bantam   291 

Silver  Gray  Dorking   196 

Silver  Penciled  Wyandotte   113 

White   Orpington    207 

White  Plymouth  Rock 88 

Gray  eyes  in  Dark  Brahma 145 

in  Rose  Comb  Black  Bantam  ..291 

Gray  Japanese  Bantam    299 

Birchen  markings  of 299 

defects   in    299 

single  mating  of 299 

Gray   in   wings  of  Black  Japanese 

Bantam    299 

of  Light  Brahma 138,  140 

of  Silver  Gray  Dorking   196 

White  Plymouth  Rock   88 

Green     eye     in     Barred     Plymouth 

Rock    80,  87 

Plymouth   Rock    71,  74 

Rhode  Island  Red 124 

Wyandotte   99,   102 

Green   feed    310 

Green   in  legs  of  Barred  Plymouth 

Rock    80,  87 

Mottled   Java    120,   121 

White  Plymouth  Rock   88 

Wyandotte 102,  109 

Green      peppering      in      Plymouth 

Rock    73,   74,   88 

shade  in   Plymouth   Rock    ...74,  87 


332 


INDEX 


Page 

Greenish    sheen    of    Barred    Plym- 
outh Rock 'i'G 

Black   Cochin   Bantam    297 

Black  Game    274 

Black  Hamburg 251 

Black  Lanffshan 153,  154,  155 

Black  Sumatra    280 

La    Fleche    257 

Red  Caps 201 

Rose   Comb  Black   Bantam 291 

Silver  Gray  Dorking   195 

White  Crested  Black  Polish   ...232 

Growing   stock — feeding   and   man- 
agement of 308 

Gypsy  face  in  Brown  Red  Game  ..268 

Hamburg    245,  252 

Rose  Comb  Bantam 290 

Gullet  of  Malay   281 

of  Wyandotte 100,  102 


H 


Hackle — see  breed  concerned 

Hamburg  class 239 

Black    ..- 251 

breeding   tendencies    239,  240 

defects   in    240 

description  of 239,  240 

feeding     240 

Golden   Penciled    245 

Golden  Spangled 240 

Silver  Penciled    248 

Silver  Spangled 244 

White ., 251 

Hatching  early   49 

as  influencing  size   308 

with  Dorkings   .  .  ." 193 

with   White  Orpingtonsi 206 

Hatching  Game  Bantam 275 

time  of,  for  exhibition  fowls... 307 

Hawk  leg 101,  102 

Head — crow    in    Barred    Plymouth 

Rocks   , 71 

Head,  pinch  in  Coi-nish   210 

Health  and  vigor,  importance  of... 54 
Heated  quarters  for  fowls  in  train- 
ing     313 

Hen     feathered     males     in     Ham- 
burgs   245,  248 

in  Sebright  Bantams 285 

Heredity    12,  14,  17 

Hollow  combs  as  defect — see  R.  C. 

breeds 
Horn      color      in      Rhode      Island 

Red    ..124,   125 

White  Plymouth  Rock    88 

Houdan    253 

breeding   tendencies    253,  254 

defects   in    254 

description  of   253,  254 

Mottled     254 

White   ....254 


Page 

I 

In   and   in   breeding    21 

Inbreeding    21 

Influence    of   sire   or   dam   on   type 

and  color 9 

Inheritance  of  acquired  characters.  .6 
of  high  egg  production  ability.  .  .56 
Mendelian 14 

J 

Japanese  Bantam 297 

Black    299 

Black-tailed    298 

breeding  tendencies   297 

defects   in    298 

description   of    297 

Gray  299 

White 298 

Java   117 

Black    118 

breeding  tendencies    117,   118 

defects  in    118 

description   of    117 

Mottled     119 

Judges — preferences   of    311 

K 

Keel  of  OiT)ington    202 

position  in  culling 59 

Knock-knees  in  Games   265 

Malay 281 

Minorca   174 

Plymouth  Rock   69,   74,  87 


Lacing  of  Bearded  Golden  Polish.. 234 

Birchen  Game   271 

Black  Game  Bantam 274 

Blue  Andalusian..l81,  184,  185,  186 

Blue  Orpington 207 

Brown    Red   Game    268 

Buff  Plymouth  Rocks    90 

Dark  Cornish 213 

Gray    Japanese   Bantam    299 

Light   Brahma, 

136,    137,    138,    139,    140 

Malay 282 

Red  Pyle  Game 271 

Sebright  Bantam 285.  286,  287 

Silver  Spangled  Hamburg 245 

Silver  Wyandotte.  102.  104.  105,  106 
White  Laced  Red  Cornish, 

217,  218,  220 

La    Fleche     256 

breeding    tendencies    256 

defects   in    256 

description   of    256 

single  mating  of    256 

Langshan    151 

Black    153 


INDEX 


33. 


Page 

breeding  tendencies    151-153 

defects   in    153 

description  of 151-153 

White 135 

Late       hatching       as       concerning 

color   310 

Layers,    selecting    from    untrapped 

flock    58 

Laying-prevention        of       'pullets 

from    308 

Leaf  comb  in  Polish  Bantams 300 

in  Polish    229 

Leghorn     156 

B:ack    171 

breeding  tendencies    156-163 

Brown  R.  C 167 

Brown    S.   C 163 

Bull  S.  C 170 

Dark  Brown 165 

defects   in    163 

description    of    156-163 

•    Light  Brown    166 

Red  Pyle 173 

Silver   172 

White  R.  C 170 

White  S.  C 168 

Legs,   black   in   Black   Leghorn.  ..  .172 

Black   in   Dominique    123 

Blue  in  Bulf  Minorca   179 

Blue  in  R.  C.  White  Bantam   ..290 

Blue    in    White    M'norca ITS 

Blue  in  White  Polish    237 

color  of  in   culling    60 

color,    influence   of   soil   on 169 

color  in  Red  Pyle  Games 273 

color    in    Red    Pyle    Game    Ban- 
tams    277 

color  in  White  Game  Bantam.   ..279 
grten      in       Barred       Plymouth 

Rocks    80,  87 

green  in  Mottled  Java ^..120 

green       in       White       Plymouth 

Rocks    88 

green  in  Wyandotte 101,   109 

%veak   in   Langshan    151 

white  in  Polish   229 

yellow    in    Bulf   Minorca 17!i 

Lemon  color  in  Brown  Red  Game,  268 

Bulf   Cochin   Bantam    295 

Mille  Fleur 301 

Partridge  Wyandotte Ill,   112 

Red  Pyle  Game   271,  273 

L'ce  on   Games    265 

Light  Brahma   134 

breeding  tendencies    134-140 

color  of    136-140 

defects  in    140 

description  of 134-140 

single  mating  of 134 

Light  Brahma  Bantam 293 

defects   in    293 

mating  of   203 

Light  Brown  Leghorn    166 

Light  produces  like   1 

Line  treeding   22 


chart 23 

Lobes — see  ear  lobes 

Lopped  comb  in   Andalusian   1S7 

Cochin  Bantam 294 

Hamburg 240 

Japanese    Bantam    297 

Java    117 

La  Fleche   256 

Langshan    152 

Leghorn    159,  161 

Minorca    175,   176 

Orpington   202 

Plymouth  Rock   91 

Red   Cap    201 

White  Faced  Black  Spanish   ...180 

Lopped  crest  in  Houdan 254 


M 


Malay — see     Black     Breasted     Red 

Malay     281 

Males,  alternating    47 

Management  and  feeding  of  grow- 
ing'stock   308 

Management  of  Games    265,  266 

Management,    good    51 

Mating,  combination    32 

combination,      cf      White      Leg- 
horn     169 

description   of    46 

double   32,  see  also   Double   Mating 

grouping  b:rds  for   35 

problem  of   1 

record  of 45 

single  standard  31,  see  also  Single 
Mating  and   Double  Mating 

size  of    48 

size  of  Sebright  Bantam 286 

stud     46 

Mealiness    in    color,    Buti    Orping- 
ton      204 

Buff    Plymouth    Rock 89,  90,  91 

Silver  Gray  Dorking   196 

Meat  production  in  Dorking 192 

Meat  type.   Cornish    208 

Mediterranean  class 156 

Ancona     188 

Blue  Andalusian 181 

Leghorn     156 

Minorca     174 

White  Faced  Bkck  Spanish    ...179 

Mellow  eye   in   Game    263 

Mendelism     12 

Mendel's    Law   illustrated    14 

Metallic  color 76 

Milb  Fleur  Booted  Bantam   301 

breeding  tendencies    301 

color  of   301 

defects   in    301 

description   of    301 

single  mating  of 301 

Minorca   174 

Black,  Pose  Comb    178 

Black,  Single  Comb 176 


334 


INDEX 


Page 

breeding  tendencies   174-176 

Buff,  Single  Comb 179 

defects  in  breeding 176 

description  of 174-176 

White,  Rose  Comb 17S 

White,   Single  Comb    178 

Miscellaneous   class    304 

Frizzles    30  3 

Silkies    304 

Sultans    305 

Molt 58,  59.   309 

Mossy    feathers,    Barred    Plymouth 

Rock   87 

Golden   Wyandotte    107,   108 

Gray  Japanese  Bantam   299 

Partridge  Cochin    148 

Silver  Wyandotte   105 

Speckled  Sussex   224,  225 

White  Laced  Red  Cornish   218 

Mottled  Houdan    254 

breeding    tendencies     254,  255 

color   of    254,  255 

single  mating  of 254 

Mottled  Java   254 

breeding   tendencies    254,  255 

color   of    254,  255 

defects  in  breeding 255 

single  mating  of 254 

Mottled    matings,    common    defects 

in     39 

Muff   of   Faverolles    238 

Houdan    253 

Polish 232 

Sultan    305 

Mutations    3 

Mutilations  6 


N 


Neck — see  breed  concerned 

Ivion-bearded  Golden  Polish   238 

Silver  Polish    238 

White  Polish    238 

Non-bearded  Polish 232,  238 

Ncn-beai'ded  Polish  Bantam 300 

breeding  of 300 

Nostrils    of    Bearded    White    Polish 

Bantam    300 

Houdan    253 

Polish   229 

Sultan    305 


Off-colored  feathers.   Barred  Plym- 
outh  Rocks    31,  75 

See  also  other  breeds 
Offsetting  weak   points  of  one  sex 

with  strength  of  other  sex.  .  .  .34 
Orange  color  in  Brown  Red  Game,  268 

tinge   in   Red  Sussex    227 

Oriental   class    280 

Black  Breasted  Red  Malay 281 


Page 
Black      Breasted      Red      Malay 

Bantam    284 

Black   Sumatra    280 

Ornamental  Bantam  class   283 

Booted  White  Bantam   291 

Erahma  Bantam 292 

Cochin    Bantam    2, '4 

Japanese  Bantam   237 

Mille  Fleur   Booted    301 

Polish    Bantam    299 

Rose  Comb  Bantam 289 

Sebright  Bantam   2>5 

Orpington   2.'1 

Black    205 

Blue    207 

breeding   tendencies    201,  202 

Buff     203 

defects   in  breeding   2  33 

description  of 201,  202 

White   205 

Out    breeding     25 

Overcooping — danger  of    313 

P 

Partridge  Cochin   ; .  147 

breeding   tendencies    147,   118 

color   of    147,   118 

defects  in    149 

single  mating  of 147 

Partridge  Cochin  Bantam 296 

L reeding  tendencies    296 

double  mating  of    2.6 

Partridge     matings,     common     de- 
fects  in    39 

Partridge    Plymouth   Rock    92 

cockerel  mating  of 94 

defects  in    95 

pullet  mating  of 94 

single  mating  of 93 

surface  color  of    93 

undercolor  of 94 

Partridge   Wyandotte    Ill 

defects  in    112 

shafting    in     Ill,   1'2 

shank  color  of 112 

single  mating  of Ill 

surface  color  of Ill,   112 

undercolor  of   Ill,   112 

Patcl.iness   in   color  of  Buff  Plym- 
outh   Rock    91 

Golden  Penciled  Hamburg 2 '5 

Golden  Spangled  Hamburg   ....242 

Silver  Gray  Dorking   197 

Silver  Spangled  Hamburg 245 

Silver  Wyandotte 105 

Pea  comb  of  Brahma 132 

Brahma  Bantam 2  2 

Buckeye 129 

Cornish    211 

Pearl  eye  in  Leghorn   163 

Pearl.    Raymond — quoted    53,65 

Pedigreeing    40 

Pedigreed  flocks,  breeding  from  ...62 


INDEX 


335 


Page 

Pelvic  bones,  spread  of   ••••••. 59 

Penciling,   see    Penciled   varieties 

Brown  Leghorns 166 

Dark  Brahma    142,   143,   145 

Dark   Cornish    213,  214,  215 

ditference  in   245 

Golden   Penciled   Hamburg    245 

Partridge  Cochin    148 

Partridge  Cochin  Bantam   296 

Partridge   Wyandotte    112 

Red  Sussex   227 

Silver  Leghorn    173 

Peppering    in    feathers  of   Bearded 

Golden    Polish    234 

Bearded  Silver  Polish   235 

Buckeye 130 

Buff  Laced  Polish   238 

Buff  Orpington    203,  204 

Buff  Plymouth  Rock   89 

Columbian   Plymouth  Rock 97 

Columbian  Wyandotte 116 

Golden  Sebright  Bantam 287 

Red  Sussex   227 

Silver  Sebright  Bantam 287 

White  Plymouth   Rock    73 

Peroxide  for  bleaching  feathers  •  .  .318 

Pinched  head,  Cornish   210 

Pinched  tail  in  Dominique 123 

Leghorn    163,    165,    167,   171 

Minorca 176 

Rhode  Island  Red 128 

Wyandotte    100 

Pit  Game  type  in  Cornish 208 

Plumage,  care  of   318 

Plymouth  Rock  69 

Barred    75 

breeding  tendencies    69-74 

Buff     89 

Columbian     95 

defects   in    74 

general  description  of 69-74 

Partridge    92 

Silver  Penciled    91 

White 87 

White  as  Sport 4 

Points    of   comb,   see   Single   Comb 
varieties 

double,  of  Leghorn 163 

double,  of  Plymouth  Rock... 71,  80 

too  many,   in  Ancona   190 

too  many,  in  Andalusian 187 

too  many,  in  Leghorn 163 

Polish  Bantam 299 

Bearded   White    300 

breeding  tendencies   299 

Buff  Laced    300 

defects   in    300 

description  of    299 

Non-t'earded 300 

Polish  Class   229 

beard  of 232 

Bearded  Golden  Polish    233 

Bearded  Silver  Polish  235 

Bearded  White  Polish 235 


Page 

breeding  tendencies    229-231 

Buff  Laced   Polish    237 

crest   of    230,  231 

defects  of    232 

description  of 229-231 

feathering  of   232 

White  Crested  Black  Polish    ...232 

Posing  birds 312 

Pouter  pigeon  type  in  White   Leg- 
horn     170 

Practices  of  breeding    19 

Preparing  fowls  for  the  show   .  .  .  .307 
Prepared,  selecting  those  to  be  ...  .310 

Prepotency    10 

Principles  of  breeding   1 

Pullet  mating    32 

Purchase  of  breeders   29 

Purple  Barring  of  Anconas    188 

Black  Cochin   150 

Black    Cochin    Bantams    297 

Black  Games    274 

Black  Game  Bantams   279 

Black  Hamburgs 251 

Black   Japanese   Bantams    299 

Black  Javas   118 

Black   Langshan    153,  154 

Black  Minorcas   177 

Black  Orpingtons   205 

Black   Wyandottes    110 

Dark    Brahmas    145 

Dark  Cornish 215 

Golden  Wyandottes    108 

La  Fleche   256 

Light  Brahmas    138 

Partridge  Cochin    148 

Partridge  Wyandottes Ill . 

Rose  Comb  Black  Bantams   291 

Speckled   Sussex    224 

White  Crested  Black   Polish    ...232 
Purple  sheen  in  Black  Leghorn  . .  .172 

Q 

Quality   and   Utility    52 

R 

Record  of  matings 45 

Red   Cap    199 

color  of    199-201 

defects   in    201 

description     of     199-201 

single  mating  of 199 

Red  in  Black  Breasted  Red  Games,  267 

Black   Hamburg    251 

Black  Minorca 177 

Blue  Orpington 207 

Buff  Cochin   Bantam   295 

Buff  Laced  Polish 238 

La  Fleche   256 

Malay 282 

Red  Pyle  Game   271 

Silver  Leghorn 173 


336 


INDEX 


Page 
Silver  Penciled  Wyandotte  ....114 
White   Polish    237 

Red  in  ear  lobe  of  Ancona   188 

Hamburg 240 

Leghorn 162 

Minorca   174 

Red   Pyle   Leghorn    174 

Rose  Comb  Bantam   289 

Silkies     304 

S-'Iver  Leghorn    173 

White  Faced  Black  Spanish   ...181 

Red  in   face  of  White  Faced  Black 

Spanish    180 

Red   in   feathers  of  Ancona    190 

Black    Leghorn    172 

Partridge  Wyandotte Ill 

Silver  Penciled  Plymouth  Rock,  92 
White  Leghorn    168 

Red  in  hackle,  saddle,  tack 

Black  Cochin   1.50 

Black  Java   118 

Black  Langshan   1.54 

Blcck  Orpington   205 

Blue  Andalusian   185 

Mottled  Java    119 

White  OrpingtoTi    206 

Red   peppering   in   Ear   Lobe,    Leg- 
horn     162 

Red  Pyie  Game 271 

breeding   tendencies    271-273 

color   of    271-273 

crossing  with  Black  Red  Game,  271 

defects   in    273 

double  mating  of   271 

Red  Pyle  Game  Bantam 277 

breeding  tendencies    277 

defects   in    277 

double  mating  of    277 

Red  Pyle  Leghorn    173 

color  of   173 

defects  in    173 

double  mating  of   173 

Red  Shaft  of  Dark  Cornish    214 

Red  Sussex   226 

1  reeding  tendencies    223-228 

color   of    226-228 

defects   in    228 

double  mating  of    227 

single  mating  of   227 

Regression     7 

Removing  off-colored  feathers    ....318 

Reversion 4 

Rhode  Island  Reds   123 

breeding  tendencies    123-123 

color  of    125-128 

defects   in  breeding    12S 

description  of 123-128 

matin? i25 

Rose  Comb   129 

Single   Comb    123 

variation   in .2 

Rinsing  washed  fowls .  .816 

Roached  back  in   Andalusian    181 

Polish  232 


Page 
See  Crooked  Back 

Rose  Comb  Anconas    191 

Black  Bantams    291 

Black  Minorcas   178 

Brown  Leghorns 167 

Buff  Leghorns    171 

Rhode  Island  Reds 129 

White  Bantams 290 

White  Leghorns    170 

White   Minorcas    178 

Rose  Comb  Bantam 289 

breeding   tendencies    289,  290 

defects    in    290 

description  of 2S9,  290 

Rose  Comb  Black   231 

Rose  Comb  White 290 

Rose  Comb   Black   Bantam    291 

breeding  tendencies    291 

color  of 291 

defects  in    , 291 

single  mating   of    291 

Rose  Comb  White  Bantam 290 

breeding  tendencies   290 

s'ngle  mating  of 290 

Rose  Wing  m  Red  Pyle  Game 271 

Silver  Duck   Wing  Game 270 

Rustiness,  see  creaminess 

in  Golden  Duckwing  Game   ....239 

s 

Saddle,    see   breed    concerned 

Saimon    Faverolles     25S 

defects   in    25S 

description   of 258 

single  mating   of    258 

Salmon  in  Red  Pyle  Game 271 

Red   Pyle  Leghorn   173 

White  Leghorn    169/ 

Salmon  Red   in   Silver   Gray  Dork- 
ing      193 

Sebright  Bantam    285 

breeding  tendencies 2S5,  283 

defects   in    2?6 

description  of 285,  285 

Golden    2S6r 

hen  feathered  in   286 

Silver   2ST 

size  in  mating  in   283 

Selecting  birds  for  the  show   313 

layers   ns 

Selection  for  vigor 20,  58 

Sex,   control  of    9 

S3X  linked  inheritance   17 

Shade,  value  of 310 

Shafting   in    Brown   Leghorns    ....163 

Buff    Plymouth    Rock    ..91 

Dominique .1^3 

Golden  Spangled  Hamburg   2'2 

M'lle  FIcur  B.-^ntam    331 

Partridge  Cochin    148 

Partridge  Wyandotte Ill,   1^2 

Red   Cap    201 

Silver  Gray  Porking  ,196 


INDEX 


337 


Page 

Silver  Leghorn    1"3 

Silver  Spangled  Hamlurg   215 

Shanks,  see  breed  concerned 

and  toes,  cleaning  of 314 

bleaching  o 315 

blue,  in  White  Orpington 206 

color  of,   in  culling    60 

feathered,  see  Feathered  Shanks 
fl:;t    in    Games     265 

Shawl  effect  in  Brown  Leghorn   ...  165 

Sheen,   see  Greenish  sheen 
See    Purple   sheen 

Shipping  birds  to  the  show 319 

coops   for  exhibition   birds 319 

feed  and  water  in    320 

prepax'ation   of    320 

ventilation    in    320 

Shows,   care  of  fowls   in    320 

preparing  fowls  for 307 

selecting  fowls  for 310 

treatment  of  fowls  after  the  .  .  .322 

Showing,  frequency  of 313 

Sickles,    see    treed    concerned 

Side  sprigs  in  Ancona 190 

Andalusian   187 

Java    117 

Orpington   202 

Plymouth  Rock   71 

Rhode  Island  Red    124 

Silkies    304 

breeding  tendencies    304,  305 

defects   in    305 

description  of 304,  305 

single  mating  of 305 

Silver    Campines    261 

barring  of 261 

breeding  tendencies   261 

defects   in    261 

single  mating  of 261 

Silver  Duckwing  Game 270 

breeding  tendencies   270 

from     Golden     Duckwing     mat- 

ings     270 

single  mating  of  . . ; 270 

Silver  Duckwing  Game  Bantam... 277 

defects  of   277 

single  mating  of 277 

Silver   Grr.y   Dorking    194 

breeding  tendencies    194-196 

defects  in    197 

single  mating  of 194 

size  and  type  of 194 

Silver  Leghorn    172 

color   of    172,   173 

defects   in    173 

single  mating  of 172 

Silver  matings,  common  defects  in,  38 

Silver  Penciled  Hamburg 218 

doulle    mating   of    248 

Silver    Penciled    matings,    common 

defects   in    39 

Silver   Penciled   Plymouth   Rock    ...91 

cockerel  mating  of 91 

defects  in    ,,,..,,..  92 


Page 

frosting  in    92 

pullet  mating  of 92 

single  mating  of 92 

sphished   feathei-s   in    92 

surface  color  of 91,  92 

Silver  Penciled  Wyandotte 113 

cockerel  mating  of 113 

color  of   113 

defects  in    114 

double  mating  of   113 

pullet  mating  of 113 

single  mating  of 114 

Silver  Polish    235 

Silver   Sebright    Bantam    237 

defects   in    289 

lacing  in    2s7 

single  mating  of 287 

Silver  Spangled  Hamburg   214 

breeding   tendencies    .,244,  245 

color  of 244,  245 

defects  in    245 

Silver  Wyandotte 102 

color  of 102-106 

defects   in    106 

frosting   in    104 

lacing  in    102-108 

lacing  in  hackle  of   105 

mating  of    102-106 

mossy  feathers  in   105 

slate   undercolor  in    106 

Silvery  color  in  Colored  Dorking..  197 
Silvery   gray    in    Silver   Gray    Dor- 
king     196 

Silvei-y  white,  colored  Dorking    ...197 

Silver   Gray   Dorking    196 

Single  Comb — see  variety  concerned 

Single  mating    31 

Sire,  influence  of   9 

Size  of  breeds,  see  breed  concerned 

Size  of  mating    48 

Skin,  blue  in  Bearded  White  Polish 

Bantam    300 

color  of,  see  breed  concerned 

color  of,   when  culling    60 

Slate  colored  legs  of  Red  Cap 199 

Slate  undercolor.   Brown    Leghorn, 

166,   167 
Columbian  Wyandotte   ....114,   11» 

Dark  Cornish   216 

Mille  I  leur 302 

Red   Sussex    227,  228 

Silver  Leghorn    172 

Silver  Vv^yandotte   106 

Speckled   Sussex    222 

Slipped  wings,  example  of 19 

Brahma    132 

Plymouth   Rocks    73,   80,   87,  88 

Rhode  Island  Reds 128 

Wyandotte    100 

Smoky — see  Smutty 

Smutty    colored    Barred    Plymouth 

Rock   76,  79,  82 

Blue  Andalusian   185 

Buff  Orpington  ,f,,,,, 204 


338 


INDEX 


Page 

Dark  Brahma    140 

Partridge   Cochin    148 

Rhode  Island  Red 2,   12'5.  127 

Wyandotte 105,  10ft 

Soap,  kind  for  washing   .  «316 

Soil,  influence  of,  on  leg  color, 

169,  315 

Spangling       of      Bearded       Golden 

Polish 234 

Golden  Spangled  Hamburg    ....242 
Silver  Spangled  Hamburg   244 

Spanish,  Black  Faced  White 179 

Speckled  Sussex    222 

breeding   tendencies    222-226 

color  of    222-226 

defects  in    226 

double  mating  of 225,  226 

single  mating  of 222 

Spike — see  Rose  Combs 

of  Rose  Comb  in  Wyandotte   ...98 

Splashed       feathers       in       Mottled 

Houdan    255 

Silver  Penciled  Plymouth  Rock.. 92 

Split  Crest  of  Polish   230 

Split  Tail   in   Plymouth   Rock    72 

White    Plymouth    Rock     88 

Split  Wing  Plymouth  Rock 73 

Rhode   Island   Red    128 

Wyandotte    100 

Sports     3 

in   Brown   Red   Games    269 

Squirrel     Tail     in     Japanese     Ban- 
tams     297 

Langshan    152 

Leghorns   171 

Stamina   263 

Standard  or  single  mating 31 

See   also  single  mating 

Standard  of  Perfection 

See  American  Standard  of  Per- 
fection 

Station   of  Games    263 

Malay 281 

Stiltiness  in  Cochin   146 

Stippling  in  Brown  Leghorns,  165,  166 

Dark  Brahma   Bantams    293 

Gray  Japanese  Bantams    299 

Mille  Fleur ,...301 

Partridge  Cochin  Bantam   296 

Partridge  Plymouth  Rocks    95 

Partridge  Wyandottes 112 

Silver  Gray  Dorkings    196 

Straw  color  in  Black  Hamburgs.  .  .251 

La  Fleche   25G 

Red   Caps    200 

R.   C.    Black    Bantams    291 

White  Crested  Black  Polish    ...233 

Strawberry  Comb  of  Malay 2S2 

Striping    in    Black    Breasted    Red 

Game    267 

Colored  Dorking   197 

Dark    Brahma    140-142 

Faverolles   258 

Golden  Puckwing  Game 259 


Page 

Mille  Fleur  Booted  Bantam 301 

Partridge  Plymouth  Rock   94 

Silver  Duckwing  Game 270 

Silver  Gray  Dorking   196 

Speckled    Sussex    222-225 

Striping  defects.  Black  Wyandotte,  110 

Strong  points  vs.  weak    34 

Stul«s,  example  of  reversion   4 

in  Andalusian   187 

Buckeye 130 

Campine    259 

Cornish    210 

Dominique     123 

Hamburg 239 

Houdan    254 

Japanese  Bantam 298 

Java    118 

Minorca   175 

Orpington   202 

Partridge  Plymouth  Rock 95 

Plym.outh  Rock 74 

Polish 229 

Rhode  Island  Red 124 

Sussex    221 

White  Plymouth  Rock 8C 

Wyandotte 101,  110,  113,  116 

Stud    mating    46 

Sultans    305 

color    of    335 

defects  in    305 

description   of    305 

single  mating  of 305 

Sumatra — see   Black    Sumatra 280 

Sun,  effect  of,  on  plumage 310 

Surface  color,  see  breed  or  variety 
concerned 

Sussex    220 

breeding  tendencies 220,  221 

defects   in    222 

description  of 220,  221 

Red    Sussex    226 

Speckled  Sussex    222 


Tail,  see  breed  concerned 

Duck-shaped  in  White  Plymouth 
Rock ..88 

Pinched   in   Dominique    123 

Leghorn.  .1G3,  1G5,  167,  I'l 

Minorca 176 

Rhode  Island  Red 128 

Wyandotte    100 

Squirrel  in  Japanese  Bantam  ..297 

Langshan    152 

Leghorn   171 

Split  in  Plymouth  Rock 72 

White  Plymouth  Rock  ...88 

Snread  in   Plymouth  Rock... 72,  88 

V/hip   in   Games    264 

Wry  in  Japanese  Bantam 298 

Leghorn 163 

White  Faced  Black  Span- 
ish   is; 


IXDEX 


339 


Tails  in  Game  Bantams   275 

Taming  fowls  for  exhibition    3\2 

Tested  breeders   39 

Testing  offspring    61 

Thumb  marked   Comb  in   A-c3na..l8S 

Andalusian   187 

Leghorn     1G3,   170,  173 

Orpington   202 

Plymouth   Rock    71,  91 

Ticking  in  Bearded  White  Polish.. 237 
Black     Tailed    Japanese    Ban- 
tams     298 

Buff  Orpingtons   205 

Dark  Brahmas 1 11 

Golden  Duckwing  Games    269 

Light   Brahmas    138,   139 

Light  Brahma  Bantams   2D3 

Red  Caps 231 

Red   Sussex    227,  228 

Rhode   Island    Reds    126 

Rose  Comb  White  Bantams 290 

Silver  Campines    231 

Silver  Duckwing  Games 270 

Silver  Penciled  Wyandottes  ....113 

White  Booted  Bantams 292 

White  Cornish 217 

White  Games   274 

White  Hamburgs    251 

White  Japanese   BanLanis    2''8 

White    Langshans    155 

White  Orpingtons 203 

White  Plymouth  Rocks   S7 

White  Wyandottes   109 

Toe  Punching 41,  61 

Toes  and  shanks,  cleaning  of 314 

Toes,  see  breed  concerned 

crooked    in    Plymouth    Rocks    ...74 

live  of  Dorking   193 

Favcrolles    258 

Houdan    254 

Silkies    301 

six  of  Silkies   304 

Training,   cooping  llrds  for   311 

exhibition  fowls 312 

Trapnested  stock,  breeding  from  ...G3 

Trap  nesting 41,  63 

Trap  nesting,  perio  1  of 68 

Trimming  hea\-y  feathered  fowls... 52 

Tubs,  number  of  for  washing 315 

Tuft  in  La  Fleche   256 

Twisted  wings,  Plymouth  Rock,  73,  87 
Type,  see  brt  ^d  concerned 

influence  of  sire  and  dam  on   ...  .9 


u 


U-shaped  Back  in  Campine 259 

Langshan    151 

Undercolor — <re    breed    or    variety 
concerned 

cotton   undercolor    80,  94 

slate  in,  106,  114,  115.  IIG,  16G,  167, 
172,  216,  222,  227,  302 
Utility  and  quality  .,,,,,..,,,,,,,,  53 


Page 


V-shaped  comb  of  Crevecocur 255 

Houdan    253 

La  Fleche   253 

Polish 229 

Sultan     305 

Variation     2 

Varieties      of      1  reeds — sec      breeds 
concerned 

V^nt  in  culling 60 

Vigor     20,  54 

Vigor  and   health    54,  263 

Vulture  hocks.   Booted   While   Ban- 
tam    292 

Brahma    134 

Brahma  Bantam 292 

Cochin    117 

Cochin  Bantam 294 

P'averoUes    258 

Langshan    153 

Sultan    305 

w 

Wash,  time  to    315 

V'ashing  exhibition  fowls    315 

Water  for  washing  fowls    315 

in   shipping   coops    320 

Weak  points  vs.  strong    34 

Weight,    increasing   by  feeding    ...314 
Vv'heaten    color    in    Black    Breasted 

Red   Game   Bantam    275 

Black  Breasted  Red  Game 267 

Malay 282 

"Whip"   tail  in   Games    264 

V/hite      in      Black      Breasted      Red 

M"lrys     2S2 

Black  Cochin   150 

Black  Japanese  Bantams   299 

Black  Javas    118 

Black  Leghorns 172 

Black  Minorc~s   177 

Blue  Andalusians    183-185 

Buff   Orpingtons    203,  204 

Buff  Plymouth  Rocks    89 

Buff  Laeed  Polish  Bantam 300 

Crevecoeurs    255 

Dark  Brahmas   1 11-144 

Golden  Sebright  Bantam   280 

La  Fleche   256 

Mottled  Houdans    254,  255 

Partridge  Cochin    148 

Partridge  Wyandot, es   Ill 

Red  Sussex   227 

Speckled  Sussex   222-225 

V;hite   in    beak.    Bull"   LrceJ.   Polish 

Bantam    300 

White  Cochin 149 

breeding   tendencies    149,   150 

color  of    149,   150 

single  mating  of 149 

'White  Cochin  Bantam  296 


340 


INDEX 


Page 

breeding  tendencies    296,  297 

defects  in 296.  297 

single  mating  of 296 

White  corn,  feeding  of 309 

White  Cornish   210 

breeding   tendencies    216,  217 

defects  in    -17 

single  mating  of 2i  J 

White  Crested  Black  Polish    iS2 

breeding   tendencies    232,  2C3 

defects   in    233 

single   mating   of    232 

White  in  crest  of  Crevecoeur 255 

Houdan    255 

Polish    231,   232,   235 

White  Dorking    194 

breeding  tendencies   194 

description   of    194 

single  mating  of 194 

White  fowls,  feeding  of 309 

White  in  ear  lobe  in  Buckeye 130 

Cornish    211 

Java    117 

Orpington    203 

Plymouth  Rock   71 

Red  Cap    199 

Rhode  Island  Red 125 

Silkies    304 

Sussex    221 

Wyandotte    99 

White    ear    lobe — example    of    cor- 
relation     8 

White    edging    in    Buff     Plymouth 

Rock 91 

White  Faced  Black  Spanish   179 

breeding   tendencies    179,  180 

defects   in    181 

description  of 179,  180 

feeding     180 

single  mating  of 180 

White  in   face,   Ancona    190 

Andalusian   187 

Campine    259 

Hamburg 240 

La  Fleche   256 

Leghorn     162 

Minorca   174 

Rose  Comb   Bantam    290 

V/Mte  in  flights,  Ancona 189 

Colored     Dorking     197 

Silver  Penciled   Plymouth  Rock,  92 
White  Faced  Black  Spanish    ...180 

White  in  secondaries.  Buff  Orping- 
ton     204 

White  Game 274 

breeding  tendencies   274 

single  mating  of 274 

White  Game  Bantam   279 

breeding  tendencies    .  .  .  .  ; 279 

defects   in    279 

White  Hamburg   251 

defects   in    251 

single  mating  of 251 

White  Houdan  254 


Page 
color  of 254 

single  mating  of 254 

White  Japanese  Bantam   298 

breeding  tendencies   298 

defects   in    298 

rinj^le  mating  of 298 

White  Laced  Red  Cornish   217 

breeding  tendencies    217-220 

color  of    217-220 

defects  in    220 

single  mating  of 217 

White  Langshan 155 

defects   in    155 

single  mating  of 155 

White  Leghorn    168 

breeding  tendencies    168-170 

combination  mating 169 

color   of    168,   169 

defects   in    170 

example  like  produces  like 2 

Rose  Comb   170 

single  mating  of 168 

White  in  legs  of  Polish   229 

of   Bearded   White   Polish    237 

White  matings,  common  defects  in,  37 

White  Minorca    178 

breeding  tendencies   178 

color  of   .  .  .• 178 

Rose  Comb   178 

single   mating   of    178 

White  Orpington    205 

breeding   tendencies    206,  287 

color  of   206 

defects   in    207 

single  mating  of 205 

White  Plymouth  Rock 87 

as   Sport    4 

breeding    of     87,  88 

color   of    87,  88 

defects   in  breeding    88 

description  of 87,  88 

single   mating  of    87 

White  Polish    235 

White  shaftinpT,   Colored  Dorking..  198 

White    in    tail.    Black    Tailed    Jap- 
anese Bantam    298 

Mille  Fleur  Bantam 301 

Partridge    Plymouth    Rock    95 

Speckled   Sussex    222 

White   tipped   feathers,    Ancona, 

18S,   1^^9 

Barred   Plymouth   Rock    84 

Black  Langshan    154 

Mille    Fleur    301 

Mottled  Java    11) 

Rhode    Island    Red    128 

Silver  Leghorn    173 

Speckled   Sussex    222 

White  Faced  Black  Spanish    ...18i 

White  in  undercolor.   Buff  Orping- 
ton      203 

Bulf  Plymouth  Rock   89 

Dark  Cornish 212 

Rhode  Island  Red 127 


INDEX 


341 


Page 
White  Crested  Black  Polish  ...233 
White  Laced  Red  Cornish      ,..218 

White   in    wing,    Butf   Cocnm    Ban- 
tam      29.5 

Crevecoeur    2-5.5 

Dark  Cornish   212 

Silver  Wyandotte    105 

Speckled    Sussex    223 

White  Crested  Black  Polish   ...233 
White  Laced  Red  Cornish 218 

White  Wyandotte 1 08 

color  of   139 

defects   in    109 

example  of  prepotency   10 

Willow  legs,  Ancona   191 

Buff  Plymouth  Rocks   91 

Buff  Wyandottes 110 

Java   119 

Red  Pyle  Game 273 

Red    Pyle   Game   Bantam    277 

Wings,  see  breed  concerned 

Wings,    carried    too    low    in    Leg- 
horn     157 

flat  of  Brahma .  .132 

slipped  in  Brahma   132 

slipped  in  Plymouth  Rock   73 


Page 
slipped  in  Rhode  Island  Red   .  .  .123 

slipped  in  Wyandotte   100 

split  in  Plymouth  Rocks 73 

split  in  Wyandottes   100 

twisted   in   Plymouth   Rock    73 

Wi'y  tails  in  Japanese  Bantam   ...298 

Leghorn   163 

White  Faced  Black  Spanish 181 

Wyandottes     97 

Black    110 

Buff    109 

Columbian     114 

defects   in    r02 

description    of 97-102 

feathering  of   102 

Golden 106 

Partridge     Ill 

Silver   102 

Silver  Penciled    113 

White   ..  .  = 108 

Y 

Yellow   corn,   feeding   of    309 

Yellow,     loss     of     in     shanks     and 

beak    313 


